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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


1980 


Technical  Note*  /  Notes  techniques 


The  institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Physical 
features  of  this  copy  which  may  alter  any  of  the 
images  in  the  reproduction  are  checiced  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'll  lui  a  At*  possible  de  se  procurer.  Certains 
dAfauts  susceptibies  de  nuire  A  la  quality  de  la 
reproduction  sont  notte  ci-dessous. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couvertures  de  couleur 


□ 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


D 
D 
D 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicolortes,  tachetAes  ou  piqutes 


Tight  binding  (may  cause  shadows  or 
distortion  along  interior  margin)/ 
Reliure  serrA  (peut  causer  de  i'ombre  ou 
de  la  distortion  le  long  de  la  marge 
int6rieure) 


□ 


□ 


Coloured  plates/ 
Planches  en  couleur 


rr^       Show  through/ 


Transparense 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag6es 


Fyj       Additional  comments/ 

IflJ       Commentaires  suppl6mentaires 


Fold-out  maps,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmad  at  a  different  r'tduction 
ratio  than  the  rest  of  the  book. 


Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  bibliographiques 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seuie  Edition  disponibie 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Rell6  avec  d'autres  documents 


n 


Pagination  incorrect/ 
Erreurs  de  pagination 


Pages  missing/ 
Des  pages  manquent 


a 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□ 


IVIaps  missing/ 

Des  cartes  gAographiques  manquent 


D 


Plates  missing/ 

Des  planches  manquent 


D 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires 


Th«  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quaiity 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibiiity 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  Iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  Images  sulvantes  ont  At*  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettetA  de  I'exemplaire  film  A,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fllmage. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche  shall 
contain  the  symbol  -^>  (meaning  CONTINUED"), 
or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"),  whichever 
applies. 


Un  das  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la  der- 
nlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  seion  le  cas: 
le  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le  symbols 
▼  signifie  "FIN". 


The  original  copy  was  borrowed  from,  and 
filmed  with,  the  itind  consent  of  the  following 
Institution: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  fiim6  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
gAnArositA  de  i'Atablissement  prAteur 
suivant : 

BIbliothAque  nationaie  du  Canada 


iVIaps  or  plates  too  large  to  be  entirely  included 
in  one  exposure  are  filmed  beginning  In  the 
upper  i«ft  hand  corner,  left  to  right  and  top  to 
bottom,  as  many  frames  as  required.  The 
following  diagrams  illustrate  the  method: 


Les  cartes  ou  les  planches  trop  grandes  pour  Atre 
reproduites  en  un  seui  clichA  sont  filmAes  A 
partir  de  Tangle  supArieure  gauche,  de  gauche  A 
droite  et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  ie  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Le  diagramme  suivant 
illustre  la  mAthode  : 


1 

2 

3 

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The  HiuoTYPEPRnnmoCD  JSO  I^EvaiisHmKST  Boaroi. 


KOQUOI8  pivE  Nations  and  |y|i8sioi 


i 


^nd|V1i8sionSites.i656-i684.  byJohnS.Claf^k.i879.   ' 


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Country  of  M«  HURON  i/triBSH  //' 


Conquered 


hy  lAe  f^*OQ^iMfJ  ^^'' 


<j 


The  HBuoT«t;PHDmi!oCo  22C  lySWHSMiRKKT  BoarcB. 


F^OQUOIS   plVE(SJATIO 


E  A  H  L  Y      CHAP  T E  K  S 


OF 


CAYUGA     HISTORY: 


JESUIT  MISSIONS  IN  UOI-O-GOUEN, 


1656—1684. 


Also  an  account  of  the  Sulpitian  Mission  among  the 
Emigrant  Cayugas,  about  Quinte  Bay,  in  1668. 


BY  CIIARLKS   IIAWLKY,  1).  U, 

I\e"i<leiit  Cayuga  f'oiiiity  IlMorical  Society. 

WITH  AN  INTHODITOTIOSr 

Bv  John  Gilmauy  Shea,  LL.  U, 

Anttwr  of  "  IlUhry  qf  Catholic  MixHotui  anion f/  the  Indian  Tribm  of  the  V  Hi  ' 


-»♦-•-♦•«- 


ATBT  RN,  N.  Y. 

KNAIT  4  I'ECK,  HOOK  AM)  JOB  IMUNTKKS. 

18  79. 


l///iok/^  ^,  C 


I     I.       !  ■>      . 


1  ] 

i 


//! 


/ 


f 


IMIKFACK 


Wlioii  tlio  writer  bo),'iin  llio  ro-icardios  onl  of  wliicli  llio  following  pajrcs  liiivo 
K'rowii.  Iio  did  not  anticipiili'  liial  lliu  \vori<  woi.ld  n^ai'ii  ilH  [ircrtciit  proportions. 
His  orijjiiml  doaign  was  siaiply  to  IriiiiHJato  from  tlio  liclalinns  of  tlio  Jesuit  Katii- 
cr.s  at  liis  command,  »ucli  extracts  as  deacrilji-d  tlieir  labors  anionj;  llio  Cayiigas 
wlioso  canton,  known  to  the  French  as  (ioi-o-)j;oncn.  was  larj^cly  comprised  witliin 
tlio  linn'ts  of  the  county  wliicli  boars  th(!ir  nanic — .'ind  of  special  interest  to  tlio 
local  historian  as  its  earliest  annals  an  J  written  by  the  lirat  white  men  who  trod 
its  soil.  The  several  translations  were  carefully  made  for  the  purpose,  and  with 
the  desire  that  the  work  of  tlioso  heroic  and  devoted  men  should  apeak  for  it.^elf. 
With  this  view,  a  series  of  articles,  which  first  ai)poared  in  the  Auburn  Daily 
Aloeititer,  was  prepared,  but  carrying  the  histor}'  of  the  Mission  in  detail  no 
further  than  107'2  (the  Rchitions  in  the  writer's  possession  elosinj;  with  that  year) 
ami  they  were  subscfiuontly  trathercd  into  a  pamphlet  as  originally  printed. 

The  i)ublic:itiou  attracted  attention  outside  the  innncdiatc  locality  for  which  it 
was  intended ;  and  a  second  series  was  nndortaken  at  the  suggestion  and  with 
the  o.)-opjration  of  Di*.  John  tiihnary  Slioa,  the  accomplished  historian  of  L'ntlio- 
lie  Mi-sims  ivnonj  <,V.'  Inli'i.i  Trilicn  of  the  Uidkd  States,  who  generously  pro- 
posed to  arrange  and  translate  from  the  ampler  material  in  his  possession,  the  nar- 
rative of  the  Cayuga  Mission  from  lG7'i,  the  point  where  it  was  left  in  the  pre- 
vious publication,  to  its  close.  The  translations  mailo  by  Dr.  Shea  with  this  view, 
are  included  in  chapter  VII  of  the  present  series  and  also  cover  the  complete  account 
of  the  Sulpitian  Mission  among  the  Emigrant  Cayugas  about  Qnlnte  Bay,  which 
forms  an  ''"nortant  cliaiuer  in  the  religious  history  of  this  people.  The  proof 
shoots  of  entire  work  have  passed  under  his  revision,  and  the  Introduction, 
from  his  pen,  happily  interprets  its  scope  and  purpose.  It  gives  me  great  satis- 
faction to  acknowledge  Uiis  courtesy,  and  the  invaluable  service  thus  rendered 
in  the  interests  of  our  local  history,  while  the  [ilcasant  relations  which  have 
sprung  up  in  this  mutual  labor,  arc  by  no  means  among  the  least  of  its  rewards. 
The  opening  chapter,  containing  the  preliminary  history  common  to  the 
aovoral  Irorpioia  Missions,  appears  for  the  first  in  the  present  edition,  and  is  con- 
donsoJ  from  the  several  lidations  which  cover  that  period. 


IV 

Tlio  writor  tiikoa  this  opportunity  to  ronow  his  ncknowloilKAiontH,  in  tlio  prefa- 
tory nolo  to  tlio  llrst  oilition,  to  Mr.  Thooiloro  P.  Ciiso  of  Auburn,  for  vuluii- 
bio  mi  in  tlio  work  of  triinsliitiou.  and  to  Mr.  John  II.  OHborno,  iiIho  of  tliiH  city, 
whoso  colluction  of  niro  volunioa,  nui[M,  4o.,  ilhmtriUivo  of  tlio  oiirly  iiistory  of 
tho  country  havo  boon  of  osHentml  uao  in  tho  preparation  of  tiicso  papers,  atid 
whoso  asHiaUinco  has  boon  most  sorviccublo  in  their  publication.  He  ia  also  tin- 
der special  obligations  to  (ton.  John  S.  Clark,  of  Auburn,  for  tho  topograpliical 
and  archifological  information  to  be  found  in  tho  several  notes  over  his  initials,  lie 
having  given  much  time  and  careful  study  to  tho  location  of  Iroquois  towns  and 
kindred  researches;  also,  for  tho  map  prepared  expressly  for  tho  i)re8ent  work 
and  embracing  the  territory  with  tho  places,  routes  and  relative  positions  of  the 
several  Indian  nation.s,  referred  to  in  tho  text.  ,,  ,.,    t 

It  is  only  necessary  to  adi,  that  the  whole  work  has  boon  carofiilly  revised, 
ro-arranged and  annotated;  and  contains,  it  is  confidently  believed,  as  full  a  narra- 
tive of  those  early  and  self  sacrificing  labors  to  Christianizo  tho  Cayugas,  in  com- 
mon with  tho  other  Iro(|uois  nations,  as  it  is  possible  to  compile  from  existing 
sources.  It  is  re-issued  in  this  more  completo  form,  not  without  tho  hope  that 
it  mar  contribute  somewhat  to  a  truer  and  more  impartial  estimate  of  what 
has  been  wrought  centuries  ago,  on  this  groimd,  by  men  who  forsook  all  and  en- 
dured all,  to  win  those  liorco  barbarians  to  tho  Christian  Faith.  C.  II. 

AUDUUX,  N.  Y.,  Juno,  1879. 


/ 


■!>  '   .     '■'<--;      ,,'i.^Vf'     ■J-',t\{^:     i;M.; 


Iho  profii- 
for  viiliiti- 
f  lliiH  oily, 
hi>*tory  of 
mpors,  atid 
is  also  tin- 
mgrapliical 
initials,  lio 
lowns  and 
?8ent  work 
ons  of  tiio 

lly  revised, 
nil  a  narra- 
ts,  in  com- 
>m  existing 
liopo  that 
0  of  what 
ill  and  on- 
0.  H. 


INTRODIM'TION 


Tlio  Jesuit  l{olati(»ns,  or  Ucportsdf  Missions  condiu'tod  1)V  tlio 
religious  <  t  the  Soeiety  of  Jesus  in  Canadii,  have  had  a  eurioua 
history.  They  are  a  series  of  small  volumes  issued  in  Kraneo 
from  1«>82  to  1«)72,  soon  after  the  annual  arrival  in  that  eountry 
of  the  shii)s  from  Canada,  bearing,  with  the  s'  ipments  of  Anier- 
lean  produee,  the  report  of  the  Su})erior  of  the  Jesuit  missions. 
These  volumes  were  issued  in  eheaj)  form,  and  seem  to  have  eir- 
culated  widely  among  the  pious,  in  some  eases  several  editiona 
apjjearing.  They  thus  exeitcd  an  interest  in  the  Ameriean  mis- 
sion, and  led  to  the  estahlishment  in  Canada  of  the  Sulpitians, 
the  Ursuline  and  Hospital  Nuns,  as  well  as  iu'^ueed  many  to  emi- 
grate to  the  eountry  and  settle  there  from  religious  motives. 
That  they  contributed  greatly  to  the  colonization  and  relief  of 
Cana<hi  is  unquestionable. 

For  many  years  the  influence  of  the  Jesuits  in  Canachi  was 
very  great,  but  their  strictness,  and  especially  the  stand  taken  by 
them  against  the  sale  of  licpior  to  the  Indians,  arrayed  a  strong 
})artvoj (posed  to  them  with  the  Count  do  Frontenac  at  its  head. 
The  KecoUocts  were  intnxbiced  to  rei)laco  the  Jesuits  as  far  as 
possible,  and  Indian  missions  under  Sulpitians  and  secular  priests 
were  encouraged,  while  F'rontenac's  despatches,  the  writings  of 
La  Salle  and  his  comiianions,  as  well  as  Li  Ilontan  and  later 
travelers,  unitetl  in  assailing  and  de[)reciating  the  Jesuits  and 
tlieir  labors. 

The  Jesuit  Relations  dropped  out  of  sight  and  were  almost  un- 
known, except  as  used  by  DuCreux  or  Charlevoix.  When,  how- 
ever, in  our  time  collections  of  American  books  began  to  be  formed, 


VI 


n  few   of  tlu'sc  Relations  foiiiid   tlicir  wav  to  libraric; 


Hi 


III- 


croft's  llistofv  of  tlic  Initial  States  and  MiUTav's  Hritisli  Amcr- 
icji,  till'  lirst  works  to  use  tlicni  to  any  cxti'iit  as  historical  luato- 
rial.  drew  attention  to  them.  The  vohiines,  liowever,  were  scat- 
UnvA  far  and  wide.  They  were  hooks  that  no  one  had  thought 
to  treasure  u[),  and  thirty  yeai's  a;^"o  nothing  aitproaehing  a  (;oin- 
l)lete  set  was  known  to  exist  anywhere.  A  student  had  to  seek 
vohunes  where  heeouM  in  a  do/en  diU'erent  puhlieand   privati' 


CO 


lleeti 


>ns,  and  (U'|HMid  in  iii;niy  ea^^es  on  nianuseript  copies  or 
extracts  wlien  ht'  was  so  fortunate  as  to  lind  even  them  in  tlie 
liands  of  some  kind  coUector. 

Of  one  vohinu"  a  siiigh'  co])y  alone  was  known,  and  that  had 
l).'en  secured  liy  tlie  vetei-an  Karih.iult  for  the  Parliament  Li- 
brary in  Canada.  That  })erished  when  the  valuable  collection  of 
books  M'as  destroved  bv  a  mob.      Kortunatelv,  Mr.  James  L?nox, 


c> 


f  New  ^'ork,  had  caused  an 


'.•urate  tnuisci-ipt  to  b.'  m: 


de  of 


it,  and  he  reprinted  this  R',?lation,  as  well  as  two  others,  of  th 
very  scaiwst  in  the  series.     Dr.  ()"C.illagh:ui  ))rep.uv.l  a  biblii 


gra])hical    acei 


)unt  of   the  whole  collc-tion   for  the  Xew   ^'oi'k 


Historical  Society,  who  })rinted  it  in  their  Prov-eediiigs.  This 
jstimulated  interest  in  the  books,  and  the  Jesuit  Relations  were 
souu'ht  bv  collectors  witli  ureat  aviditv  and  in  the  competition 
rose  to  very  high  ]»riees. 

The  Canadian  government,  however,  ro[)rinted  the  whole  se- 
ries in  three  stout  volumes,  thus  enabling  studt'ntsto  obtain  ac- 
cess to  the  Relations,  which  the  biblioni'iuiae-s  wer^'  making  it 
ruinous  for  any  ordinary  student  to  think  of  attempting  to  ob- 
tain in  the  original  form. 

While  the  old  French  volumes  are  still  the  i)ride  of  a  few 
choice  libraries,  the  matter  they  contain  is  aceessibh'  to  all  and 
has  been  widely  considted  and  used.  S:)me  indeed,  hearing  of 
the  interest  attacheil  to  these  V(»lumes,  are  disapitointctl   when 


T 


VI 1 


tlicv  collie  to  oxamiiio  tluMii,  and  coiisidtM-  tlioir  value  ovornitod. 
Hilt  tlicv  were  not  written  with  any  view  of  sni)i»lyin«>-  doeu- 
iiieiits  for  the  historvol"  a  vast  rei)n])li(' to  whom  I'i'ovidenee  wa;* 
to  eon  tide  so  niiieh  of  tliiseontinent.  As  the  .lesiiit  missionaries 
toile(l  fearlessly  throii.uh  the  wilderness  in  the  Fiidiaii  ("iiioe  or  l»y 
the  Indian  trail,  their  wildest  fancy  never  studded  the  land  with 
the  thrivinji;  cities  and  Imsy  a.irrit-ultnre  of  the  fiuure.  They 
werezi'aloiis  missionaries,  full  of  their  work,  pious,  often  enthiisi- 
a-ticaiid  sanguine,  and  they  wrote  not  to  leave  data  for  historians, 
lint  sini])ly  to  edify  and  interest  the  jjions  in  France.  'Plieir  Re- 
lations are  tlu>  work  of  many  hands,  thrown  together  hastily  hy 
the  Superior  of  the  Mission,  with  no  attemi)t  at  literary  effect, 
hut  tlu'v  hear  the  impress  of  honesty  and  of  heing  priiite<l  as 
tliev  wer(>  written.  The  missions  emhraced  Canada  and  the 
whole  frontier,  from  ^faine  to  Fiuke  Superior  and  Illinois:  and 
the  Hi'lations  give  informatiou  as  to  the  various  tril)i>s,  their 
language,  ideas,  relations  and  annals  for  nearly  half  a  century. 
When  teste<l  by  other  conteinporaneous  documents  tliev  bear 
scrutiny  and  alTord  us,  to  the  ext(>nt  of  the  information  they  give 
incidentally,  excellent  data:  while  it  is  almost  impo.ssible  to 
read  them  without  feeling  a  jtersoual  interest  in  tlu^  educated 
men  who  facet!  such  perils  for  a  noble  cause,  and  who  record 
their  trials,  hardships  and  tlu>  deaths  of  fellow  laborers  with 
such  simi)licitv. 

The  general  historians  of  our  country  have  felt  the  iiilluence 
and  drawn  from  this  source  chapt(M's  full  of  ehnpieuce  and  beauty : 
the  latest  liistt)riaii  of  our  own  State  has  used  them  freel\-, 
and  thus  investetl  his  narrative  with  an  interest  whii*li  previous 
writers  on  New  York  could  not  coinmaud. 

But  the  Relations  themselves  actpiire  a  new  importance,  and 
local  history  receives  ;i  valuable  addition  in  works  of  which 
the  present  opens  a  new  series.      IIei'(>  the   long  and    p:itient    re- 


VI 11 


search  and  toixtgrapliical  knovvlodue  of  tlu'  antiquarian  aid  the 
translator  by  «letorniining  the  j>osition  of  everv  mission,  town 
and  hamlet,  the  direotion  of  trails,  the  position  of  friendly  and 
hostile  tribes,  and  the  nnrrative  eomes  with  a  fresh  interest  as 
we  follow  the  missionary  of  two  centuries  ajro  in  his  labors  on 
si)ots  with  which  we  are  famihar,  and  with  pleasure  we  listen  to 
the  story  of  liis  labors  and  his  hopes,  what  he  was  doing  for  the 
cause  of  Christianity  among  the  savage  inhabitants  of  our  land. 
Grand  old  Cayuga  chiefs  come  up  ])efore  us,  sketched  by  a  few 
traits  and  incidents,  friends  or  opponents  of  the  missions.  We 
live  in  their  midst,  listen  to  their  harangues,  scan  their  i)olicy, 
and  watch  their  conduct  in  })eace  and  war. 

When  the  work  which  is  here  done  for  Cavuira  is  accom- 
plished  for  each  mission,  maps  will  be  ])ossible  which  we  can 
scarcely  dream  of  now,  and  a  translation  of  all  the  Relations  V)e 
one  of  the  greatest  contributions  to  American  History. 

Writers  have  been  reproaclied  for  not  giving  maps  fixing  the 
sites  of  missions  two  centuries  ago.  But  those  who  censured 
little  knew  the  hours  and  days  which  had  to  be  spent  in  deter- 
mining the  sites  mentioned  in  this  volume.  Guesses  and  fancies 
would  have  been  worthless.  Here  are  given  the  fruits  of  long 
and  patient  study. 

Cayuga  here  establishes  her  claim  as  the  ])ioncer  in  this  de- 
partment of  accurate  and  authentic  study. 

*  John  Gilmakv  Siik.v. 

EuzAiiETii.  N.  J.,  Juno  l.'l,  1879. 


EARLY    CHAPTERS 


OF 


CAYUGA     HISTORY. 


w 


I  In 


'  if 

'■  It 


!! 


// 


/ 


H 


If;suit  Blissians  ^manj):  i\it)  i^aijugas. 


It  was  in  the  year  1656,  that  the  French  Jesuit  Fatliers  lirst 
attem[)ted  a  mission  among  the  Cayugas,  one  of  tlie  five  nations 
then  comprising  the  far-famed  Iroquois  League/  The  same  year, 
and  with  concert  of  plan,  missions  were  planted  in  the  other  can- 
tons with  Onondaga'  as  tlie  centre  of  operations,  it  being  also  the 
recognized  capital  of  the  confederacy. 

It  had  been  for  some  time  a  chcrislied  project  with  these  zeal- 
ous pioneers,  both  in  religion  and  civilization  on  tliis  continent,  to 
win  these  lierce  and  powerful  nations  to  the  Catholic  Faith  and,  at 
the  same  time,  secure  their  friendship  to  the  colony  of  New 
France,  then  aspiring  to  the  mastery  of  tlie  New  World.  The  IIu- 
rons,  a  compact  and  numerous  nation  on  the  western  border  of  the 
French  possessions  in  Canada,  Mdiose  alliance  to  the  crown  of 
France  had  been  secured  by  a  similar  policy,''  had  been  driven 
from  their  country  by  the  Iroquois  and  reduced  to  a  wretched 
remnant,  a  part  of  whom  sought  refuge  near  Quebec,  under  the 


1  Its  Heveral  cantons  extended  from  east  to  west  in  the  following  order:  ^(uhawks,  Oneidas, 
Onoiidagas,  Cuyugus,  Seneciis,  the  last  four  corresponding  in  locality  to  the  conntie."  which 
bear  their  respective  names. 

'-'  This  was  the  chief  town  of  the  Onondagas,  situated  on  a  consideraldc  elevation  between  two 
deep  ravines,  formed  by  the  west  and  middle  branches  of  Limestone  creek,  in  the  present 
town  of  Pompey,  N.  V.,  two  miles  s<mth  of  the  village  of  Manli\is.  It  contained  at  this 
time  three  hundred  warriors,  with  one  hundred  and  forty  houses,  several  families  often 
occupying  a  single  house.  Their  cornfields  extended  for  two  miles  north  and  south,  and  in 
width  from  a  half  to  three  fourths  of  a  mile,  interspersed  with  their  dwellings.  The  gi'and 
council  chamber  was  here,  in  which  all  matters  of  interest  common  to  the  several  nations  of 
the  League,  were  decided.    This  site  was  abandoned,  ab(mt  168().— J.  s.  C. 

i*  The  first  missionaries  among  the  IIur<ms  were  of  the  order  of  the  Recollects,  in  1613. 
The  Jesuits  came  to  their  aid  in  lt)i">.  The  mission  was  interrupted  during  the  occupa- 
tion of  Quebec  by  the  English  (ItiiU-lftJJ),  but  was  resumed  and  maintained  with  signal 
heroism  and  success,  until  the  destruction  of  the  nation  by  the  Iroquois  in  ]tV4!),  when  the 
mission  fell  with  it ;  not,  however,  until  five  of  the  missionary  Fathers  had  won  the  coveted 
crown  of  martyrdom.    Four  of  them,  viz.,  Anthony  Daniel,  in  lt)4H,  John  de  Brebeuf,  (ia- 

jbriel  Lalemant,  and  Charles  (lamier,  in  It>49,  fell  at  their  posts  and  shared  the  cruel  fate 
which  befell  their  converts,  at  the  hands  of  their  savage  conquerors.    {Jarnier's  colleague, 

I  Father  Chabanel,  was,  at  the  same  time,  tomahawked  by  an  apostate  Huron,  who  afterward 

IconfeBscd  the  deed. 


10 

jirotectioii  of  tlio  FrtMuili,  while  others  were  scattered  among  their 
western  neighbors.  The  overthrow  of  the  Hurons  was  (juiekly 
followed  hy  the  destruction  of  the  Neuter  nation  occupying  the 
territory  iax  l)oth  sides  of  the  Niagara,  and  now  the  iM'ies,  the 
only  remaining  barrier  to  Iroquois  ambition  on  the  west,  had  in 
turn  become  the  objects  of  the  same  relentless  spirit  of  conquest. 

This  was  in  1658.  Besides  this  bloody  work  with  neighbor- 
ing tribes,  the  Iroc^uois  had  made  frequent  i)icursions  upon  the 
Canadian  settlements,  consisting  of  Quebec,  Montreal  and  Three 
llivers.  But  now  they  were  ready  for  peace  with  the  French, 
at  least  while  they  had  on  their  hands  this  war  with  the  Erics. 
Accordingly,  in  the  summer  of  this  year,  sixty  Onondagas,  rep- 
resenting also  the  Cayugas  and  Senecas,  appeared  in  sight  of  the 
fort  at  Montreal,  shouting  from  their  can."<^s  that  they  came  for 
peace.  An  Oneida  delegation  soon  followed.  The  French,  at 
first,  suspected  treachery  and  were  slow  to  accept  assurances  of 
friendship  so  suddenly  tendered,  especially  as  bands  of  Mohawks 
were  infesting  Montreal  and  Three  Jiivers  at  the  time.  But  ar- 
rangements were  made  for  a  council,  at  Quebec;  and  in  Febru- 
ary of  the  following  year  (1654),  the  embassy  arrived  prepared 
to  conclude  the  desired  peace.  Tlie  council  was  convened, 
when  the  Onondaga  chief,  who  headed  the  deputation,  presented 
six  large  belts  of  wampum,  indicating  the  principal  points  of  his 
speech. 

The  first  was  to  calm  the  spirit  of  the  French,  and  prepare 
their  minds  to  receive  without  misunderstanding  or  offence  what 
he  had  to  say. 

The  second  was  in  token  that  his  heart  was  upon  his  tongue, 
and  his  tongue  in  his  heart,  i.  e.,  that  all  he  was  about  to  say  was 
from  a  sincere  desire  for  friendship  and  peace. 

The  third  represented  a  tree,  he  said,  planted  in  the  midst  of 
the  great  river  St.  Lawrence,  opposite  the  fort  of  (.Quebec  and 
the  house  of  Onontio,  whose  top  reaches  above  the  clouds,  to  the 
end  that  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  could  see  it,  and  repose  in 
jieace  under  its  shadow. 

The  fourth  opened  a  wide  and  deep  abyss  in  which  should  be 
buried  all  past  differences,  and  all  persons  who  should  attempt  to 
disturb,  or  in  any  way  violate  the  peace  about  to  be  concluded. 


)ng  their 

quickly 
ying  the 
li-ies.  the 
t,  had  in 
jonquest. 
leighbor- 
upon  the 
nd  Three 
13  French, 
the  Eries. 
Eigas,  rep- 
rht  of  the 

came  for 
French,  at 
irances  of 
Mohawks 
,     But  ar- 

in  Febru- 
1  prepared 

convened, 

presented 
ints  of  his 

id  prepare 
'ence  what 

is  tongue, 
to  say  was 

le  midst  of 
uebec  and 
>uds,  to  the 
repose  in 

should  be 
attempt  to 
concluded. 


11 

The  fifth  was  to  take  away  the  clouds  which  had  so  long  ob- 
scured the  sun,  referring  to  the  false  speeches  of  the  Algoncjuins, 
and  Montagnais,  which  like  clouds  had  prevented  the  sweet  light 
of  day  on  them  and  on  the  French,  and  made  darkness  every- 
where. 

Finally,  in  the  sixth  present,  they  promi.sed  to  bury  deei)  in 
the  earth  the  war  kettle  in  which  they  had  been  accu.stomed  to 
boil  the  flesl'  of  captives  taken  in  battle,  since  all  their  old  ha- 
treds were  now  changed  into  love. 

Evei'ything  seemed  to  make  for  peace;  as  if  indeed  the  cloud 
was  to  be  lifted  which  hung  so  darkly  over  the  French  settle- 
ments. "  Yesterday,"  wrote  Father  Le  Mercier,  of  the  overtures 
the  summer  ])revious,  ''all  was  dejection  and  gloom:  to-day  all 
is  smiles  and  gaiety.  On  Wednesday,  massacre,  burning,  pillage. 
On  Thurs(hiy,  gifts  and  visits  as  among  friends.  If  the  Iroipiois 
have  their  hidden  designs,  so,  too,  has  God."  "There  was  noth- 
ing but  joy  and  opening  of  heart,"  he  writes  of  the'council,  "and 
the  sun  has  no  rays  more  benign  than  shone  in  the  faces  of  these 
embassadors.  But  a  dark  night  follows  a  bright  day."  It  aj)- 
pears  that  the  Onondaga  orator,  who  had  made  this  fine  speech 
in  the  council,  had  ai)proached  several  of  the  Huron  chiefs  with 
a  pro[)osition  that  the  following  spring  a  colony  of  Huron  fami- 
lies, under  pretence  of  a  desire  to  be  nearer  Montreal,  should  re- 
move to  a  point  between  that  place  and  Three  Kivers,  where  a 
party  of  Iroquois,  to  the  number  of  five  or  six  hundred  would 
meet  them,  when  the  i»lan  would  be  more  fully  disclosed,  and  all 
under  pledge  of  inviolable  secrecy.  A  similar  project  for  a  col- 
ony had  come  from  the  Mohawk.s.  The  Hurons  at  once  sus- 
pected treachery,  and  one  of  then*  chiefs  disclosed  the  secret  to 
the  Governor  General,  while  the  council  was  yet  in  })rogress,  and 
sought  advice  as  to  the  answer  they  should  give  to  this  i^roposal, 
which  had  greatly  disturbed  them.  "  It  is  for  thee  now,  Onontio, 
and  not  for  us  to  speak,"  said  the  Huron  :  "We  have  been  dead  for 
four  years,  since  our  country  was  desolated.  Death  follows  us 
every  where.  It  is  ever  before  our  eyes.  We  live  only  in  thee. 
We  see  only  through  thine  eyes.  We  breathe  only  in  thy  ])er- 
son.  Our  thoughts  are  without  reason  only  as  thou  givest  it  to 
us.  It  is  then,  for  thee,  Onontio,  to  draw  us  from  these  perils 
and  tell  us  what  to  do." 


13 


!    I' 


ii 


It  was  concludeu  tbut  the  French  authoritic!;  .shouUl  appear  to 
concur  in  the  enter{)rise,  witli  the  understanding  that  i'.  should  be 
post})oned  for  at  least  a  year;  and  the  Huron  chief,  thus  instruct- 
ed, r(!i)licd  to  the  embassador  in  a  private  conference,  that  ilie 
project  would  doubtless  siicceed  beyond  their  ])resent  hopes ;  that 
the  French  themselves  were  disposed  to  form  a  colony  on  the 
great  Lake  of  the  Iroquois ;  and  for  this  reason  it  would  be  bet- 
ter in  all  frankness  to  communicate  to  them  the  design,  and  not 
attempt  to  conceal  so  important  a  movement.  The  Iroquois  as- 
sented, and  it  was  arranged  by  the  Hurons  that  the  enterprise 
should  be  deferred  for  a  year  at  least,  and  in  the  meantime  a  resi- 
dence should  be  provided  for  the  Jesuit  Fathers  somewhere  in 
the  Iroquois  countr}',  and  that  then  they  would  go  willingly, 
with  their  wives  and  children.  The  Governor  General  gave  his 
assent  in  a  speech  accompanied  by  six  presents,  the  i)urport  of 
which  was  that  the  Hurons  must  l)e  left  to  act  with  entire  free- 
dom, and  go  to  whichever  of  the  Irofjuois  cantons  they  desired, 
or  back  to  their  ancient  country,  or  still  farther,  to  remain  with 
the  French  if  they  preferred.  He  suggested  that  the  tree  of 
peace,  which  the  Onondaga  orator  had  fixed  opposite  Quebec,  be 
transplanted  to  Montreal,  on  the  frontier,  where  it  could  be  more 
readily  seen  by  neighboring  nations.  He  also  urged  harmony 
among  the  Iroi^uois, themselves,  that  they  might  maintain  peace 
with  others,  and  skillfully  used  their  own  project  of  a  Huron  col- 
ony to  excite  the  liope  of  each  of  the  cantons  that  it  might  ol)- 
tain  the  desired  acquisition." 

In  response  to  these  overtures  of  peace,  but  as  a  precautionary 
step,  it  was  concluded  to  send  Father  Simon  LeMoyne,  a  veteran 
Huron  missionary,  as  a  special  envoy  to  Onondaga  to  confirm  these 
friendly  proposals,  l^efore  venturing  either  a  mission  or  a  colony  in 
their  country.  Lc  Moyne  left  Quebec  July  2,  1654:.  He  was  joined 
at  Montreal  by  a  young  Frenchman,  noted  for  l)oth  courage  and 
piety,  and  taking  two  or  three  Indians  as  guides,  started  on  his 
adventurous  journey  by  way  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  in  a  single 
canoe.  Thu'teen  days  were  consumed  in  making  their  way  u\^ 
the  river,  struggling  with  the  rapids  and  encountering  heavy 


S 


#3' 


1  Jielation,  1634,  Chap.  II.    The  references  to  the  Jiela/ionn,  unless  otherwise  indicated,  art- 
to  edition  printed  at  Quebec,  1858. 


13 


ppear  to 
jould  be 
instruct- 
that  i.ie 
pes;  that 
y  on  the 
d  be  bet- 
,  and  not 
)quois  as- 
Miterprise 
me  a  resi- 
Dwl'.ere  in 
willingly, 

gave  his 
)VU'pc)rt  of 
iitire  free- 
sy  desired. 
;nain  with 
lie  tree  of 
.Quebec,  be 
d  be  more 

harmony 
tain  peace 
Huron  col- 

niight  ob- 

cautionary 
,  a  veteran 
nfirm  these 
a  colony  in 
was  joined 
ouragc  and 
ted  on  his 
ni  a  single 
leir  way  up 
ring  heavy 

■■0  indicated,  are 


winds,  wliicli  greatly  retarucd  their  progress.  At  night  tliey 
would  seek  shelter  in  the  w»j<)d.s,  or,  if  more  convenient,  under 
their  inverted  canoe,  and  .sometimes  in  the  bark  hut  they  would 
build  for  the  emergency.  Game  was  })lenty,  and  the  large  herds 
of  elk  they  met  seemed  little  disturbed  by  their  presence.  They 
reached  Lake  Ontario,  July  30,  but  such  was  th'  s'iolenee  of  the 
wind  that  they  were  eom])elled  to  take  to  the  islands  in  the  vi- 
cinity, and  traver.«e  them  on  foot,  carrying  their  luggage,  ])rovi.s- 
lons  and  canoe  on  their  shoulders.  They  soon  fell  in  with  a  par- 
ty of  Iroquois  fishermen,  who  proved  friendly  and  concbicted  Le 
Moyne  and  his  companions  to  their  village,  where  the  good  Fath- 
er was  met  by  .several  of  his  old  Huron  Christians,  wdio  recog- 
nized him  with  exi'ressions  of  delight,  and  to  whom  he,  in  turn, 
gave  the  consolations  of  religion.  From  this  jioint  they  took  the 
usual  course  through  the  woods,  reaching  Onondaga  on  the  fifth 
of  August,  after  a  journey  of  three  weeks  from  Montreal.' 

Le  Moyne  was  received  at  tlie  L'oquois  capital  with  every 
mark  of  respect  and  enthusiasm.  They  overwhelmed  him  with 
kind  attentions,  tempting  him  with  the  choicest  luxuries  of  the 
season,  such  as  roasting  ears  of  the  young  corn,  with  a  bread 
made  of  its  pulp,  than  which  they  knew  nothing  more  delicious. 
One  would  call  him  ''brother,"  another  "uncle,"  another  "cous- 
in," while  every  face  beamed  a  welcome.  Familiar  as  the  rai.s- 
sionary  was  with  barbarous  life  and  custom.s,  he  writes:  "I  never 
saw  the  like  among  Lidiaus  before."  Deputies  from  the  Onei- 
das,  Cayugas  and  Senecas  soon  arrived ;  and  on  the  tenth  of  Au- 
gust the  council  was  convened  by  criers  passing  through  the 
town  proclaiming  its  purpose  and  summoning  all  to  come  to  the 
cabin  of  Ondessoidc,'  and  listen  to  his  word.s.  After  invoking  the 
blessing  of  Heaven  in  solemn  prayer,  the  sagacious  Father,  who 
was  well  ver.sed  in  the  arts  of  Indian  diplomacy,  dis])laycd  his 
presents  and  began  his  speech,  wdiich  he  tells  us  lasted  two  full 
hours,  and  in  which  he  imitated  the  tone  and  manner  of  their 
owMi  chiefs  on  such  occasions.  He  caught  the  spirit  of  metaphor 
characteristic  of  their  oratory,  and  a(hh-cssed  each  of  the  nations 
represented  in  the  council,  as  if  he  had  alvva3s  knowni  their  his- 


1  Relation,  1654,  Chap.  VI. 

•i  Huron  name  given  to  Le  >[oyne. 


I 

I      I; 


// 


r 


14 

tory  and  been  fjiiniliar  with  the  deeds  of  their  noted  saclienis  and 
warriors,  all  of  which  drew  from  the  dusky  couiieillors  repeated 
ejaculations  of  approval.  In  the  eighth,  ninth,  tenth  and  elev- 
enth presents  he  gave  to  the  four  nations  "each  a  hatchet  for 
the  war  in  which  they  were  then  engaged  with  their  new  ene- 
mies,-the  Kries."  In  another  present  he  encouraged  them  "to 
strengthen  their  palisades  that  they  might  be  i)repared  against 
every  attack  of  the  enemy:"  and  in  another  he  proposed  "to 
daub  their  countenances,  since  it  is  the  custom  of  the  warriors 
never  to  go  into  battle  except  they  ])aint  their  faces  either  ])lack' 
or  red,  or  in  divers  colors,  each  having  Ins  own  favorite  color, 
like  a  particular  uniforr .,  to  which  lie  adheres  until  death."  The 
nineteenth  present,  with  which  the  elo(|uent  Father  ckxsed  his 
s})eech,  was  "  to  dry  uj)  the  tears  of  the  young  warriors  at  the 
death  of  their  great  chief,  Annercroas,  who  had  just  before  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  Eries." 

The  reply  of  the  orator,  who  spoke  in  behalf  of  the  council,  was 
all  tliat  could  be  desired.  He  was  specially  importunate  that  the 
French  should  select  a  spot  for  their  colony  "on  the  shores  of 
the  Great  Lake,  where  they  would  dwell  .securely  in  the  midst 
of  the  country  of  the  Iroquois  as  they  already  dwelt  in  their 
hearts."  Le  Moyne  added  two  presents  to  confirm  this  proposal ; 
and  with  this  favorable  termination  of  his  mission,  returned  to 
Montreal,  where  he  arrived  on  the  seventh  of  September,  having 
been  absent  nearly  nine  weeks.' 

He  was  followed,  the  next  year  (1655),  by  Father  Joseph 
Chaumonot,  also  an  experienced  Huron  missionary,  accom})anied 
by  Father  Claude  Dablon,  recently  come  fi'om  France.  They 
arrived  at  Onondaga  on  the  fifth  of  November;  and  the  iifteenth 
of  the  same  month  was  appointed  for  convening  a  general  coun- 
cil and  the  delivery  of  the  customary  presents.  At  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  that  day,  the  preparations  having  been  com- 
menced, and  while  the  ])rayers  were  being  recited  amid  the  still- 
ness of  the  vast  assembly,  news  came  that  the  embas.sy  from  Cay- 
uga had  entered  the  village.  The  announcement  put  an  end  to 
this  part  of  the  ceremony,  in  order  that  the  deputation  might  be 
'•eceived  with  the  formalities  due  to  their  rank. 


\Rdunnn,  1654,  Chap.  VII. 


15 


hems  ami 
i  ropeatoil 
ami  clev- 
itcliet  for 
■  now  cue- 
them  "to 
B(l  against 
)()fle(l   "to 
Q  warriors 
ther  black 
3rite  ct)lor, 
ith."    The 
closed  his 
lors  at  the 
jfore  fallen 

auncil,  was 
ite  that  the 
3  shores  of 
1  the  midst 
■It  in  their 
s  [)roposal ; 
eturncd  to 
3er,  having 

icr  Joseph 
companied 
ice.  Tliey 
le  fifteenth 
ncral  coun- 
ten  o'clock 
l)oen  com- 
id  the  still- 
y  from  Cay- 
t  an  end  to 
)n  might  be 


The  Father  made  them  two  compHmentary  presents  to  wiiieh 
they  responded  with  the  same  nnmher,  and  adding  a  third,  de- 
sired that  furtiier ceremonies  might  be  deferreil  nntil  the  morrow. 
as  the  day  was  alrea<ly  advanced.  It  was  so  arranged  ;  and 
the  next  day  was  occupied  in  conferring  the  presents,  accom- 
panied by  a  speech  from  Chanmoiiot,  which  produced  a  marvel- 
ous elVect  and  called  out  various  expressions  of  wMmder  and 
delight  from  the  savages.  "The  Dutch,"  they  said,  "never 
sjioke  to  us  of  heaven  or  hell,"'  implying  even  that  their  language 
had  no  words  by  wliicli  such  ideas  could  be  expressed.  As  the 
assembly  broke  up  the  chief  of  the  Cayngas  (Saonchiogwa)  as- 
sured the  Fatlier  of  his  desire  to  take  him  as  a  brother,  whi<;h 
was  accej)ted  as  a  mark  of  the  highest  confidence. 

Tli(!  next  day  (ITtli)  was  devoted  to  resjionses  from  the  rep- 
resentatives of  tin;  several  nations  to  the  presents,  when  the  chiefs 
and  others  crowded  around  the  missionary  Fatlier.s,  with  their 
s(jngs  of  welcome.  '^  flapp// land  f '^  they  sang,  '-^happij  land!  in 
u'hirh  the  French  are  to  dwdl"  with  the  chorus  led  by  the  chief 
of  the  Onondagas,  ^'■Glad  tidinijs!  ;/lad  tidings/"  when  he  de- 
clared :  "Jt  is  well  that  ive  /nive  spoken  lo;/et/ier:  it  is  xoell  that  ve 
have  a  heanmli/  nvssage."  A  third  chant  ran:  "/  salute  t/iee, 
my  brother ;  I  salute  the,  it  is  well  you  have  come  to  ?«.  Oh  the 
charminfj  voice  thou  hast.''  Tliey  also  sang:  '■'■Farewdl  to  rear: 
Farewell  to  the  hatchet;  until  now,  we  have  heen  enemies;  hence- 
forth ve  are  hrothers^  yef^,  we  are  truly  brothers.^' 

These  several  songs  were  followed  by  four  beautiful  presents, 
and  the  significance  of  each  explained — after  which  the  chief  of 
the  Cayugas  arose  and  made  a  s|)eech  of  thanks,  for  a  good  half 
liour,  characterized  l)y  remarkable  ckxpience  and  sagacit}'.  He 
said  that  both  himself  and  his  nation  held  themselves  under  great 
obligations  to  Onontio'  for  the  honor  he  had  done  them  in  their 
adoption  ;  and  that  never  should  they  act  unworthily  of  this  hon- 
orable relationship,  nor  degrade  .so  illustrious  a  distinction.  Never 
had    they   been  adoi)ted  except  by  persons  of  rank;    but  the 


1  Derived  from  Oniionte,  Bitpiifying  a  nwuntdin.  It  was  a  literal  tranxlation  by  the  HuroiiH 
ami  Iro(|uoi8,  of  tlie  name  of  M.  tie  Montmagny  Ofoiix  Mugiiun)  who  was  Governor  of  Canada 
from  1(1.36  to  1648,  and  sitrniflecl  (irmt  Mouiituin.  It  continued  to  bo  applied  to  his  successors 
in  office,  and  in  lll;e  manner  to  the  King  of  France,  whom  they  called  Grand  Onontio.  The 
Knglish  wrote  It  Yonnondio. 


i 


W'i 


16 

crowiiiiif^  frlory  of  nil  tlicir  alliances  had  be(Mi  noiiferrod  by  Oii- 
oiitio.  And  in  token  of  liis  gratitieation  at  this  ^nvat  honor,  he 
struck  up  a  son<^  as  ])Ieasin<i^  as  it  was  novel.  All  his  eoinpan- 
ions  sanj^  in  harmony  with  him,  keeping  time  hy  striking  their 
mats,  while  he  danced  in  the  midst  of  them  with  violent  move- 
ment, after  tiu;  Indian  fashion. 

Giving  play  to  every  part  of  the  body  he  gestured  with  his 
feet,  his  hands,  his  head,  eyes  and  mouth,  as  he  sang.  A,  «,  /<a, 
Gainnderc.  i/aidudcre,  0,  u,  (iaiandcre,  (jaidndfiv,  (vpiivalent  (says 
the  Father)  to  /o,  io,  Irinmphe,  in  the  Latin  tongue;  and  then,  E, 
(',  lie,  O'tddndi're,  (jaindrre,  (),  a,  /lO,  d'aiauderc,  (jdianderc.  He  ex- 
])laiued  the  word  (laiiwdn'c  to  signify  what  th(;y  deemed  most 
excellent;'  and  added  that  what  others  called  the  Faith  should 
l)e  named  among  them  Gautndei'e,  in  proof  of  which  he  made  the 
lirst  present  of  beads." 

Dabkm  returned  to  Quebec  early  in  Novend)er,  leaving  Chau- 
monot  to  remain  at  Ont)n(higa  for  the  winter.  He  was  impre.><sed 
with  the  good  disposition  of  the  Iinxpiois  and  favored  com[)liance 
with  their  demand  for  a  mission  and  French  settlement,  to  be  es- 
tablished among  them  the  following  spring.  The  whole  sul)ject 
was  one  of  anxious  deliberation  at  Quebec,  with  alternate  hopes 
and  fears.  With  the  fate  of  their  great  Huron  mission  fresh  in 
mind,  Father  Le  Mereier,  Superior  of  the  Missions,  writes  thus 
of  the  ])rojected  movement  among  the  Iroc[uois  :  "It  is  their  fury 
that  has  desolated  the  country  of  the  Algonquins  and  Ilurons 
while  they  were  fast  becotning  a  Christian  jn'ople.  They  cruelly 
burned  both  pastors  and  the  Hock.  But  while  the  blood  of  the 
martyrs  is  making  itself  heard  in  heaven,  we  find  ourselves  called 
to  renew  our  ciforts  to  spread  the  Faith,  by  these  cruel  l)arbarians 
themselves  who  would  seem  to  exist  in  the  world,  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  opposing  it.  In  a  word,  the  Iroquois  have  pressed  us 
to  come  and  instruct  them,  demanding  with  equal  urgency  that 
a  colony  should  be  planted  on  their  Lake  (Ontario)  which  should 
be  to  them  for  an  asylum  and  between  them  and  us  a  lasting  bond 
of  peace.     *     *     *     The  promise  having  been  made  to  them  for 


ii^ii) 


1  Oalamlerenem,  nobility  ;  rjuUtinltr,  man  or  woman  of  rank.    Driiyas,  Mohawk  liaiHcal-'. 
p.  58. 
-i  Ilelntion,  1656,  Chap.  VII. 


17 

the  next  spring,  their  heart  hiis  not  lieen  nble  to  eontuin  itself 
fur  joy.  Their  eoiuiteimnce  has  heen  more  expressive  than  their 
tongne,  and  (Jod  has  caused  us  to  hope  that  in  some  Wiiy  lie 
will  sei;m'»'  his  glory  and  onr  good  in  the  event."' 

Ahont  this  time,  a  Huron  prisoner  who  had  escaped  from  Onon- 
daga, hrought  the  rej)ort  that  the  \vh(»le  project  was  an  Inwpiois 
l»Iot  to  allure  the  French  with  the  Ilurons  into  their  country,  to  he 
followed  hy  a  general  massacre,  when  once  in  their  power.  The 
Huron  ehi(?fs  took  the  alarm,  and  though  expecting  to  accom- 
pany the  mission  in  acteordance  with  tin;  pledge  made  to  the  On- 
ondagas.  as  already  reJateil,  not  (Mily  refused  to  furnish  a  colony 
from  their  own  people,  hut  implored  the  French  for  the  love  they 
bore  thetu  not  to  ex|)ose  themselves  to  such  manifest  })erils.  In 
the  meaiiwiiile  the  Mohawks,  jealous  of  the  [)reference  shown  to 
the  Onondagas  in  the  hwation  of  tlw;  settletnent,  gave  indications 
of  tluir  dis{)iea-<ure,  which  b>)  led  nothing  hut  evil.* 


luivk  nmiiculu. 


'  IMifwii,  l(i5»,  Clmp.  \  III. 

'•'The  pliicc  flrgt  Holected  for  the  French  Kt'ttk-iiieiit  ai>|K'iits  to  huve  bwii  on  the  Hoiitli  Imiik 
of  Siihnon  rivur,  iit  thf  proxeiit  Hitoof  I'ort  Ontario,  about  u  mile  from  the  Lake,  afterward 
known  ax  Cahilioiiova^'c.  Tlie  journal  desiriliini;  Le  Moyiie's  return  journey  in  Iti.M.  iiftir 
leaving;  Omwcj^o  river,  fay.'< ;  "  We  arrived  at  tlie  i>luee  wliieli  i.-*  II xed  upon  for  our  liouse 
and  u  Frc^iu'h  nctlement,  beautiful  prairies,  ;.'o(id  llshiu'^.  r/  it^oil  itf  nil  ikiUdiik,  uluTe  I 
fouiul  new  Chricliann,  who  i-onfei'scd  and  inspired  me  with  devotion."  Tlie  same 
l)laee  Is  mentioned  by  Chaunionot  and  l)ab!on  in  Iti.Vl,  Oct.  iJt):  "We  arrived  about  nine 
o'clock  in  the  niornlnx  iit  Otihatangue  (the  name  of  the  river).  They  presented  us  with  a  re- 
past of  welcome.  Otlhatanf,'ue  is  a  river  which  Mows  Into  Lake  Ontario,  narrow  at  its 
month,  but  much  wider  above.  It  abounds  in  meadow  s  which  it  fertili/es,  and  divides  into 
hilly  and  flat  islands,  all  suitable  for  sowin;;  ;rrain."  (h'l/iiHiiii,  U'M.)  An  Indian  town  is 
indicated  at  this  point  on  a  map  of  '•  I'ere  Corouelli,  Paris,  ItiH'^,"  described  as  "Cabiliono- 
vague,  or  La  Famiiu',  where  the  i;reater  part  of  the  IriKpiois  disembark  to  trade  their 
beaver.''  Another  nnip  of  l(i"y  says,  'it  is  the  place  wlierc  most  of  llie  IriMpiois  and  Loups 
land  to  {,'0  in  the  beaver  trade  at  New  York."  In  KiH-J,  Mons.  de  lu  Uarre,  (Jovernor  of  Can- 
ada, landed  with  li's  army  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  nearer  the  lake  at  the  i)oint 
now  known  as  Selkirk.  The  place  was  desciibed  by  him  in  Ills  otHcial  report  as  "  La  Fam- 
ine, a  port  favorable  for  fishiui;  aiul  huntintr  and  four  leaitues  from  the  river  of  Oiuiontague  '• 
(.It  Oswego  I.  Col.  Hist.  N.  Y.,  IX,  ai;i,  Charlevoix  visited  the  place  in  17;il.  In  describ- 
ing it  he  says  :  "Famine  Hay,  thus  named  since  M.  de  la  Barre,  (iovernor  Ueneral  of  New 
France,  had  like  to  have  lost  'ill  his  army  here,  by  hung('r  and  distemper,  in  jjoing  to  make 
war  with  the  Irocinois."  Charlevoix  evidently  errs  as  to  the  origin  of  the  name,  for  It  was 
attached  to  the  locality  many  years  previous  to  M.  de  la  Harre's  campaign,  and  undoubtedly 
resulted  from  the  sufferings  experienced  by  Mons.  l)ii  I'uys  and  his  companions  while  on 
their  way  to  establish  the  French  colony  In  the  country  of  the  Onondagas  In  Itioti.  For  many 
years  historians  considered  Famine  Bay  as  Identical  with  Hungry  Bay  mow  Henderson,  l  sev- 
eral miles  north,  but  at  the  present  time  tlie  best  authorities  concede  that  the  Famine  Bay  of 
the  French  was  the  extreme  Bonth-eastern  angle  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  that  the  (Iraiid  F"ain- 
ine,  and  Petite  Famine  rivers,  correspond  respectively  to  Great  and  Little  Salmon  rivers  of 
the  present  day.  Tlie  great  central  trail  of  the  Mohawk  Valley,  If  pndonged  westward  in  a  di- 
rect line  from  Home,  would  follow  substantiully  the  line  of  the  Rome  and  Watertown  R.  R.  an 


18 


'•^ 


i:i^:i[: 

!ii:i^ 


After  a  review  of  the  whole  ground  and  in  the  liftht  of  tiiese 
fresh  disclosures,  it  was  considered  too  late  to  retreat,  notwith- 
standing the  dangers  visible  on  all  sides,  as  a  refusal  now  to  car- 
ry out  the  negotiations  already  agreed  npon,  would  bring  upon 
the  P'rencli  settlements  the  combined  fury  of  the  Iroquois  na- 
tions, while  at  the  worst  the  result  of  the  present  enterprise 
would  be  the  sacrifice  of  the  few  in  place  of  the  many.  It  was, 
moreover,  the  only  door  opened  to  them  to  maintain  peaceful  re- 
lations begun  with  these  savages  and  for  the  spread  of  the  Faith  ; 
and  on  the  17th  of  May,  1(556,  the  entire  company  embarked  at 
Quebec  in  two  large  shallops,  with  a  number  of  canoes,  for  On- 
ondaga. It  was  composed  of  the  missionary  Fathers  Rene' 
Menard,  Claude  Dablon,  .lames  Fremin,  and  Francis  Lc  Mercier, 
the  P'ather  Superior,  and  Brothers  Ambrose  Broas  and  Josepli 
Boursier;  ten  soldiers,  with  between  thirty  and  forty  French  col- 
onists nnder  command  of  M.  DuPuys.  Ilurons,  Onondagasand 
Senecas  completed  the  pai'ty.  They  had  a  long  and  perilous  jour- 
ney. On  reaching  Lake  Ontario  they  had  exhausted  their  provis- 
ions, and  the  fisliing  being  poor,  tliey  were  without  food  for  six 
days  except  a  small  berry  found  in  the  woods,  and  were  saved  from 
starvation  only  by  a  bountiful  supply  of  Indian  corn  and  sal- 
mon despatched  from  Onondaga  whither  they  had  sent  a  courier 
for  relief.  This  was  while  at  oi'  near  the  i)oint  still  called  Fam- 
ine Bay,  from  whence  the  whole  flotilla  proceeded  by  way  of 

far  as  Salmon  River  and  from  thence  continuing  on  tlie  soutli  banli  of  the  liver,  reach  Lake 
Ontario  at  Caliilionovaj^e.  This  was  tlie  most  convenient  and  direct  ronte  for  tlie  Orange 
(Albany)  traders  to  reach  the  nuineroiiH  Indian  tribes  of  the  great  lakes  via  Qiiinte  Bay.  In 
like  manner  the  great  thoroughfare  of  the  French,  to  their  possessions  in  the  south  west, 
passed  through  this  point,  the  forty  miles  along  the  eastern  end  of  lake  Ontario  being  com- 
mon to  the  two  routes.  Thi-<  accounts  for  its  being  described  as  llic  jilaci-  of  nnoii  of  (til  ii(t- 
l''jiiK,  and  for  this  reascm  was  considered  as  second  o!ily  in  importance  to  Cataraipiy,  (Kings- 
ton.) In  the  great  strife  for  dominion  between  the  French  and  English  colonies,  the  French 
sought  to  attract  and  control  the  western  trade,  by  {\w  establishment,  in  1073,  of  the  trading 
post  and  fort  at  C'ataraquy.  The  English,  no  less  mindful  of  their  interests,  found  means  to 
divert  this  trade  to  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  thence  to  their  market.  This  led  to 
the  expedition  of  Denonville  against  the  Senecns,  in  1687,  and  the  construction  of  Fort  Niag- 
ara. In  1727  the  Marquis  de  Heauh.iriiols.  claimed  that  the  French,  at  some  tin;e  previous,  had 
a  fort  of  settlement  at  La  Famine,  (Col.  Hist.  V,  837)  which  Oov.  Burnet,  in  answer,  says 
was  abandoned  before  the  treaty  of  I'trecht  (1712).  (Col.  Hist.  V,  82!».)  The  naip  of  Col.  Homer 
shows  a  fort  on  the  bank  of  the  river  at  Oswego  as  early  as  17uO  ;  and  Gov.  Dougan,  in  1(187, 
says  that  M.  de  la  Barre  canio  to  Cahihonovage,  whfvi'  the  Inilidiin  iioiiltt  hat'c-  ine  ftutlil  a  fori. 
(Doc.  Hist.  Ill,  475.)  From  these  accounts  it  appears  that  the  French  had  a  fort,  or  settle- 
ment, at  or  near  this  point,  at  some  time  previous  to  1712,  that  the  English  were  solicited  by 
the  Five  Nations  to  locate  there,  but  probably  considering?  Oswego  as  preferable,  concluded 
to  establlBh  the  English  post  at  that  point.— J.  S.  C. 


i 


^1 


19 


it  of  these 
t,  notwith- 
ow  to  car- 
)nng  upon 
oquois  na- 

eiiterprise 
(T.  It  wasj 
)eaceful  ve- 

the  Faith ; 
nbarked  at 
es,  for  On- 
Mevii  Renv 
Lc  Mercier, 
iiul  Joseph 
French  col- 
•nihigas  and 
jrilous  jour- 
heh-  provis- 
food  for  six 
!  saved  from 
rn  and  sai- 
nt a  courier 
jailed  Fam- 

by  way  of 

Iver,  reach  Luke 

0  for  the  Orange 
(iiiinte  Buy.    In 

1  the  south  west, 
tario  beins  coni- 
f  nxort  of  (ill  iKi- 
atiirmiuy,  (Kin<,'s- 
juief,  !'ie  French 
7i,  of  tlie  truding 
',  found  u>eani<  to 
rket.  This  h'll  to 
ion  of  Fort  Niug- 
iu'o  previous,  liad 
,  in  answer,  says 
luii)  of  Col.  Koniev 

Doiigan,  in  1(187, 
(■(-  //«•  ft'iilil  (t  fort. 
a  u  fort,  or  settle- 
were  solicited  by 
'erable,  concluded 


Ji|: 


m 


the  O.svvego  river  and  entered  Lake  Gancntaa  the  eleventh  of 
July,  liring  a  salvo  of  guns  which  made  the  forests  resound 
with  its  echoes,  to  the  delight  and  astonishment  of  the  crowds  of 
savages  along  its  banks. 

A  grand  council  was  soon  assembled  to  condrni  the  alliance, 
and  Father  Chaumonot,  who  had  been  on  the  ground  through  the 
previous  winter,  was  the  spokesman  for  his  missionary  brethren 
and  their  companions.  His  speech  on  the  occasion  is  described 
as  one  of  remarkable  eloquence,  in  which  he  disclosed,  with  en- 
tire frankness  and  characteristic  earnestness,  the  design  of  their 
coming.  '* It  is  not  trade "  he  said  "that  brings  us  here.  Our 
})urpose  is  a  more  lofty  one.  Do  you  think  that  your  be:'.'er 
skins  can  pay  us  for  all  the  toils  and  dangers  of  a  long  and  we;i  y 
voyage?  Keep  them,  if  you  like,  for  the  Hollanders;  an  I  if 
any  fall  into  our  hands,  we  shall  use  them  only  for  your  serv  i  3. 
We  .seek  not  the  things  that  perish.  It  is  for  the  Faith  that  we 
have  left  our  country ;  it  is  for  the  Faith  that  we  have  forsaken 
parents  and  friends ;  it  is  for  the  Faith  that  we  have  crossed  the 
ocean  and  left  the  great  ships  of  France  to  cunbark  in  your  little 
canoes.  It  is  for  the  Faith  that  we  have  left  our  comfortable 
houses  to  live  in  your  hovels  of  bark.  It  is  for  the  Faith  that 
we  have  denied  ourselves  the  food  that  is  natural  to  us,  for  that 
which  the  beasts  of  our  country  would  scarcely  touch."  And 
here  displaying  a  large  and  beautiful  belt  most  artistically  de- 
siirned,'  he  continued  : 

"  It  is  for  the  Faith  that  I  take  in  my  hands  this  rich  present 
and  o})cn  my  mouth  to  remind  you  of  the  pledges  you  gave  at 
the  time  you  came  to  Quebec,  to  conduct  us  into  your  country. 
You  with  great  solenmity  promised  to  give  ear  to  the  words  of 


1  The  Onondagas  have  preserved  with  great  care  to  the  present  time,  the  ancient  wnmpuin 
belts  of  the  Confederncy.  Those  associated  with  the  first  union  and  league  of  the  Five  Na- 
tions are  looked  upon  witli  peculiar  reverence  and  held  as  sacred  treasures.  Among  these  is 
one  aliout  four  feet  in  length,  composed  principally  of  purple  shell  beads  of  the  richest  hues, 
and  for  this  reason  esteemed  as  of  great  value.  At  one  end  of  this  belt  is  a  rude  representa- 
tion of  a  man,  and  at  the  other  that  of  a  cross,  with  a  narrow  white  stripe  connecting  the 
two.  The  legend  of  this  belt  us  expluined  at  this  day  is  as  follows  :  "  (Jreat  nuiny  years  ago, 
"  a  company  from  Canada  presented  this  belt,  desiring  tliat  missionaries  from  the  Roman 
"  Catholic  Church  might  be  settle<l  among  the  Five  Nations,  and  erect  u  chapel  at  Onondaga, 
"  and  that  the  road  (represented  by  the  white  strijie)  should  be  continually  kei)t  ojien  and 
"  free  between  them."  In  examining  this  belt  and  listening  to  the  traditions  connected  w  itli 
it,  1  was  strongly  impressed  with  the  idea  that  it  was  the  identical  one  presented  by  Chaumo- 
not on  this  occasion.—.!.  S.  C. 


20 


llli 


the  great  God.  They  are  in  my  moutli.  Listen  to  them.  I  am 
only  His  voice.  We  are  messengers  whom  He  has  sent  to  tell 
you  that  His  Son  became  man,  for  the  love  of  you ;  that  this  man, 
the  Son  of  God,  is  the  Prince  and  Master  of  men ;  that  He  has 
]irepared  in  heaven  eternal  joys  for  those  who  obey  Him  and 
kindled  the  fires  of  hell  for  those  who  will  not  receive  his  word. 
*  *  *  If  you  reject  it,  whoever  you  are,  Onondaga,  Seneca,  Mo- 
hawk, Cayuga  or  Oneida,  know  that  Jesus  Christ  who  insjm'es  my 
heart  and  my  voice  will  plunge  you  one  day  into  hell.  Avert 
this  crime  !  Be  not  the  author  of  your  own  destruction  !  Accept 
the  truth  !     Listen  to  the  voice  of  the  Omnipotent ! '"' 

Early  in  August  an  aged  chief  from  Ca3'uga,  an  intelligent 
man  and  still  engaged  in  i)ublic  affairs,  presented  a  re([uest  on 
behalf  of  his  nati(Mi,  that  one  of  the  Fathers  might  be  sent  to  in- 
struct them  in  the  Faith  with  the  assurance  that  a  chapel  would 
be  provided,  and  that  this  was  the  desire  of  the  whole  jieople. 
Father  Menard  was  accordingly  sent,  with  two  Frenchmen,  and 
became  the  guest  of  Saonchiogwa  the  chief  of  the  canton,  and 
the  same  that  responded  to  Chaumonot  and  Dablon  in  the  coun- 
cil of  the  i)revious  year. 


t 
I 


1  Kelaiion  1657,  Chop.  V. 


IL 

The  Cayuga  Mission  now  determined  upon  as  part  of  the  gen- 
eral poUey,  ah-eady  indicated,  was  confided  to  the  care  of  Father 
Eene  Menard,  who  for  nine  years  had  been  a  missionary  among 
the  Hurons,  and  for  devotion  and  tact  was  regarded  as  second  to 
none  among  his  co-laborers.  The  following  narrative  of  his 
work  in  founding  the  mission,  is  from  Chapter  XVI  of  the  Rela- 
tion for  1657,  viz. : 

CONCERNING  THE    PUBLICATION     OF    TlIE     FAITH    AMONG    THE 

CAYUGA    IROQUOIS. 

Having  ado})ted,  immediately  on  our  arrival  in  this  country, 
the  Onondagas  as  brothers,  and  the  Cayugas  and  Oneidas  as 
children,'  it  l)ecame  necessary,  for  the  })reservation  of  tliis  alli- 
ance, to  visit  them  in  order  to  make  them  presents,  which  we 
shall  be  obliged  to  do  each  year,  to  render  our  relationship  with 
them  serviceable  and  desirable.  This  was  to  us  a  very  agreea- 
ble necessity,  as  it  oj^ened  the  way  for  the  proclamation  of  the 
Gos])el  in  conferring  our  presents,  after  the  manner  in  which  we 
had  happily  commenced  our  labors. 

It  was  with  this  design  that  Fathers  Chaumonot  and  Menard 
left  (Onondaga)  at  the  end  of  the  month  of  August  in  the  year 
1656  for  Cayuga,'^  where  they  arrived  after  a  journey  of  two 


1  The  Five  Nations,  wrote  Count  Ziii/endorf,  nearly  a  hunclred  years  later  (1742),  are  di- 
vided into  father!',  or  children,  or  brethren,  or  members  of  the  covenant ;  and  such  as  do  not 
behmg  to  some  one  of  these  classes,  they  call  cousins.  He  adds  that  the  Mohawks,  Onon- 
dagas and  Senccau  are  called  fathers.  The  two  other  nations  which  are  styled  children  are 
the  Cayugas  and  Oneidas ;  and  when  at  any  time  they  have  general  proposals  made  them 
about  Christianity  they  give  for  answer  that  tliry  will  follow  the  Onondagas  and  do  the  .same 
as  they.— Me innriatu  of  Moranuti  Vhurvh  I,  124. 

iGoi-o-gouen,  the  siteof  the  Mission  of  St.  Joseph,  the  principal  vilhige  of  the  Cayugas, 
appears  to  have  been  located  at  this  time  about  thre^  ,kvA  ».  half  miles  south  of  Union  Springs, 
near  Oreat  Gully  Brook.  Tl.'.-hero  or  St.  Ste;,hen,  ten  miles  distant,  was  on  the  east  side  of 
Seneca  river  at  the  northern  extremity  of  Cayuga  Lake,  tlie  Salt  Springs  describeil  by  Father 
KaflFeix  in  1673,  being  a  mile  and  a  half  north  west  of  Thiohero  and  about  a  half  mile  north  of 
the  Seneca  river  U.  R.  bridge.  The  archaeological  remains  in  the  vicinity  of  (Joi-o-gouen  in- 
dicate different  locations  occupied  at  different  periods,  one  of  which  was  on  a  iioint  at  the 
junction  of  two  ravines  about  four  miles  from  the  lake  ;  this  was  very  ancient,  and  pi'obably 
occupied  in  the  pre-historic  age.  According  to  Dr.  Lewis  11.  Morgan,  the  locality  known 
as  the  "  Residence  Reservation,"  was  called  in  the  Seneca  dialect  Oa-ya-ga-an-ha.  Sever- 
al other  dialected  variations  appear  to  have  been  used,  Onnio,  Oniocji,  Ouen,— all,  apparently. 


■-TTT^^I'  ,'^7r»'"'^i 


99 


1  if." 


(lays;  and  that  Father  Chaumonot  having  made  a  brief  sojourn 
there,  proceeded  to  the  country  of  the  Senecas,  leaving  Fatlier 
Menard  to  the  labors  of  founding  the  church  about  to  be  formed. 
This  is  what  he  has  scat  to  us  : 

The  antipathy  toward  the  faith  and  our  persons,  which  the 
Hurons  had  created  among  the  natives  of  the  country,  persuad- 
ing  them  that  we  brought  with  us  sickness  and  misfortune  to  the 
places  we  visited,  caused  us  to  be  received  quite  coolly,  and  ren- 
dered our  presents,  made  for  the  sake  of  the  Faith,  worthless  in 
their  esteem.'  Nevertheless,  the  men  of  authority,'^  who  out  of  re- 
gard tor  their  temporal  interests,  would  not  break  with  us,  and 
trusting  that  an  experiment  of  the  Faith  would  not  endanger 
the  lives  of  their  slaves,  set  them  at  work  four  days  after  our 
arrival,  to  build  for  us  a  chapel,  on  which  they  employed 
themselves  so  diligently,  that  in  two  days  it  was  in  a  condition 
to  receive  the  Christians.  After  it  had  been  furnished  and 
adorned  with  the  most  beautiful  mats,  I  there  exposed  the  pic- 
ture of  our  Lord,  and  that  of  our  Lady ;  this  was  a  spectacle  the 
novelty  of  which  so  greatly  surprised  our  ])arbarians  that  the}^ 
came  in  crowds  to  consider  it,  and  gaze  upon  the  countenance 
and  movement  of  the  two  pictures.  I  th  us  had  abundant  oppor- 
tunit}''  to  explain  our  mysteries ;  and  so  inquisitive  were  they 
about  the  pictures,  that  each  day  was  but  catechetical  instruc- 
tion from  morning  till  night ;  the  result  of  which  was,  that  they 
were  so  subdued  in  spirit  that  in  a  few  days,  we  had  many  neo- 
phytes not  only  of  Hurons  and  slaves,  but  also  from  the  natives 
of  the  countrv. 


:!LK 


referable  to  the  original  Huron  words,  signifying,  ;>«)/;fc  qf  the  great  tobacco  iri]>e.  In  their 
own  language,  according  to  Greenhalgli  in  1077,  the  French  called  the  Cayugas  Les  Petuneun. 
This  is  an  obsolete  word,  with  ii  similar  signification  eciuivalent  to  "to/xwco  iixer^."  The 
totem  of  the  Cayugas  was  a  calumet,  or  (freat  tobacco  i)ii>e,  and  their  chief  sachem  is  often 
called  Sanun-awean-towa,  signifying  the  tongue,  or  voice,  of  the  great  pijw.  On  the  return 
of  the  Cnyugas  after  the  destruction  of  their  towns  in  1779,  in  Oen.  Sullivairs  campaign,  they 
appear  to  have  established  their  castle,  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Union  Springs,  where 
it  appears  on  several  early  maps.  The  early  French  writers  applied  ;the  term  Goi-o-gouen, 
also  to  the  country  and  canton  of  the  Cay-i^gas.— J.  S.  C. 

1  This  superstition  that  the  Missionary  Fathers  caused  all  their  misfortunes  was  one  great 
obstacle  to  success  among  the  Hurons,  and  often  brought  the  missionaries  themselves  into 
great  peril.  Menard  had  often  encountered  it,  and  he  does  not  appear  to  be  surprised  at  find- 
ing tliat  the  old  prejudice,  as  created  by  these  Huron  captives,  had  preceded  him  at  Oayugu. 

'•i  Ancsris,  the  word  used  to  denote  the  chiefs  of  the  council  in  distinction  from  the  war 
chiefs. 


23 


ef  sojourn 
ng  Father 
be  formed. 

which  the 
f,  persuad- 
tune  to  the 
y',  and  ren- 
■orthless  in 
o  out  of  re- 
th   us,  and 
t  endanger 
s  after  our 
employed 
a  condition 
nished  and 
led  the  pic- 
pectacle  the 
IS  that  they 
;ountenance 
dant  oppor- 
t  were  they 
ical  instruc- 
s,  that  thev 
many  neo- 
the  natives 


■oinix.    In  their 

tt«  Le«  Petiitieiiiv. 

CO  u(ier»."'    The 

sachem  is  often 

On  the  return 

s  campaign,  they 

n  Springs,  where 

nu  Goi-o-gouen, 

108  was  one  great 
tliemselves  into 
surprised  atflnd- 
rt  him  at  Cayugu. 
)u  from  tlie  war 


Many  bnjught  their  children  to  me  for  Baptism ;  and  aided 
me  in  teaching  them  the  prayers,  by  repeating  tliem  after  me . 
and  in  a  sliort  time  grace  wrought  such  marvelous  changes,  that 
the  little  childi'cn,  who  at  iii'st  made  me  the  constant  object  of 
their  ridicule  and  sport,  now  rendered  me  the  offices  of  good  an- 
gels, conducting  me  into  the  cabins,  attending  me  whei'cver  I 
visited,  and  giving  me  the  names  of  those  I  ba])tized,  as  well  as 
the  names  of  their  parents ;  which  these  barbarians  are  accus- 
tomed to  conceal  from  us,  believing  that  we  record  their  names 
that  we  may  send  them  to  France,  and  thei'e  procure  their  death 
bv  magic. 

The  providence  of  God  gave  me  three  excellent  teachers  for 
acquiring  the  language.  They  are  brothers,  natives  of  the  coun- 
try, and  of  good  natural  dispositions.  Their  kindness  in  inviting 
me  to  their  houses,  and  the  patience  and  assiduity  with  which 
they  have  instructed  me,  very  soon  qualified  me  to  instruct  them, 
and  by  means  of  the  pictures,  which  greatly  excited  their  curi- 
osity, lead  them  to  apprehend  our  mysteries. 

The  first  adult  person  that  I  judged  capable  of  baptism,  was 
an  old  man  eighty  years  of  aire,  who,  having  been  touched  of 
''  God  oi\  hearing  me  instruct  a  Christian,  desired  me,  two  days 
after,  to  visit  him,  being  to  all  appearance  nigh  imto  death.  I 
had  no  hesitation  in  according  to  him  baptism,  finding  in  him 
all  the  dispositions  of  a  soul  chosen  for  heaven,  in  the  way  to 
which  he  lias  had  opportunity  to  prepare  himself. 

The  second  adult  that  I  baptized,  w.as  a  cripjile  whose  face 
was  covered  with  a  cancer,  which  rendei'ed  him  horrible  to  the 
sight.  This  poor  afflicted  one  received  me  with  a  joy,  equalled 
only  by  the  fervor  of  desire  he  had  evinced  that  I  should  visit 
him,  and  applied  himself  so  faithfully  to  retain  the  prayers  and 
instru(;tions,  that  I  soon  conferred  upon  him  baptism  in  our 
chapel.  Perhaps  these  graces,  which  God  has  wrought  in  him, 
are  the  fruits  of  the  charity  that  he  manifested  for  Fathers  Bre- 
bcuf  and  Laleniant  some  time  befoi'c.  He  told  me  that  he  was 
a  witness  of  their  death,  and  having  by  his  valor  acquitted  him- 
self with  ci'edit  among  his  fellow  warriors  on  that  same  day  in 
which  he  had  slain  with  his  own  hand  eight  Hurons  and  taken 
live  othei-s  prisonei-s,  he  had  pitv  on  these  two  captive  Fathers, 


i 


24 

and  had  bought  them  of  tlie  Moliawks  for  two  beautiful  wani- 
])uni  belts,  with  the  design  of  returning  them  to  us  in  safety ; 
but  that  soon  their  captors  gave  back  to  him  these  pledges,  re- 
claimed their  prisoners  and  burned  them  with  all  imaginable 
fury.' 

This  poor  La/arus,  as  I  have  named  him  in  baptism,  is  much 
esteemed  in  the  canton ;  and  he  is  tlie  first  sup[)ort  that  it 
pleased  God  to  give  to  this  little  Church,  which  he  augments  con- 
tinually in  attracting  others  to  tlie  Faith,  through  the  zeal  of  his 
discourse  and  his  example. 

The  enemy  of  the  Gospel,  unable  to  endure  its  progres.s,  has 
not  wanted  for  calumnies  with  which  to  trouble  the  Christians. 
Our  faith  is  accused  of  being  the  murderer  of  all  who  profess  it : 
and  the  death  of  several  Christians  at  Onondaga  having  given 
occasion  for  this  delusion  of  the  savages,  the  speech  of  a  certain 
chief,  an  enemy  of  our  religion,  made  at  a  council,  served  to  ex- 
cite still  more  their  prejudices.  So  that  not  only  many  natives 
of  the  country,  judging  it  was  safer  to  believe  what  this  man  of 
authority  among  them  said  than  to  put  faith  in  the  totally  op- 
posite ex})erience  of  our  ancient  Hurons,  have  begged  me  to  re- 
gard it  well  for  them  to  omit  attendance  at  prayers,  until  their 
fear  of  me  should  abate ;  but  also  they  accuse  the  Faith  of  the 
French  of  all  the  evils,  both  public  and  private,  with  which  they 
a]ipcar  to  be  afflicted.  This  it  is,  that  a  certain  apostate  endeav- 
ored to  make  these  barbarians  believe,  citing  the  Hollanders  for 


■ii 


1  On  tho  16th  of  Miirch,  1()49,  at  daybreak,  an  army  of  a  tliousantl  Iroquois  burst  upon  thu 
Huron  town  of  Taenhatentaron,  the  mission  station  of  St.  Ignatius,  which,  after  a  resolute 
but  ineffectual  defence  was  involved  in  a  general  massacre.  The  two  missionaries,  the  vet- 
eran Brebeuf  and  Gabriel  Lalennuit,  whib  engaged  ni  ministering  to  the  wounded  and  dying, 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Iroquois,  who,  after  tearing  out  their  nails,  forced  them  through  the 
gauntlet  of  a  do\ible  row  of  savages,  dealing  their  furious  blows  on  every  side,  to  the  place 
of  torture.  Each  was  bound  to  a  stake.  The  hands  of  Brebeuf  were  cut  off,  and  the  body 
of  Lalemant  pierced  with  awls  and  pointed  irons.  Ued  hot  hatchets  were  thrust  under  the 
arm  pits  and  between  the  thighs  of  the  sufferers,  and  around  the  neck  of  Brebeuf  they  hung  a 
collar  of  the  heated  weapons.  As  tho  voice  of  the  old  Huron  missionary  was  heard  above  the 
din,  consoling  his  converts  and  proclaiming  the  judgments  of  (Jod  upon  the  unbeliever,  his 
enraged  tormentors  crushed  in  his  mouth  with  a  stone,  cut  off  his  nose  and  thrust  a  burning 
brand  into  his  throat ;  and  as  if  this  was  not  enougli  they  tore  off  his  scalp,  and  thrice,  in  de- 
rision of  baptism,  poured  scalding  water  upon  his  head.  Then,  after  hacking  off  his  feet, 
they  tore  out  his  heart  and  devoured  it.  The  gentle  Lalemant  was  wrapped  in  pieces  of 
bark,  which  were  set  on  Are,  and  after  a  series  of  tort  '  similar  to  tliose  which  liad  been 
InJlicted  on  Brebeuf,  they  tomahawked  him,  leaving  the  arred  and  manglea  bodies  of  their 
Tictims  among  tho  ashes  of  the  town.— See  Shea's  IRstui ,,  of  Catholic  Mindoim,  &c.,  188-191  ; 
also  Jielatloii,  1049,  Chap.  Ill,  IV. 


2y 


proof  of  wliat  ho  said,  when  he  assorted  that  the  children  of  the 
Iroquois  died  two  yciars  after  their  baptism;  and  that  the  Chris- 
tians either  l)roke  a  leg,  or  pierced  their  foot  with  a  thorn,  or  be- 
came emaciated,  or  vomited  up  the  soul  with  the  blood,  or  were 
attacked  with  some  other  signal  malady. 

If  our  reputation  is  thus  calumniated,  our  life  is  in  no  greater 
safety.  A  warrior  of  my  acquaintance,  having  come  to  lodge  in 
our  cabin,  has  given  me  no  little  anxiety.  For  having  entered 
three  nights  in  succession,  with  a  species  of  ])osscssion  which  ren- 
ders him  furious,  he  has  attempted  to  take  my  life;  and  would, 
without  doubt,  have  succeeded  in  his  purpose  if  he  had  not  been 
]n'evented  by  our  host 

I  was  threatened  with  death,  after  a  more  haughty  fashion,  by 
a  young  man,  who,  after  having  heard  me  instruct  a  catechu- 
men, very  sick,  whom  I  wished  to  prepare  for  death,  said  to  me 
that  I  was  a  sorcerer  of  whom  it  was  necessary  to  rid  themselves ; 
that  I  caused  to  live  or  die  such  as  I  pleased ;  and  that  it  was  as 
easy  for  me  to  heal  this  man,  as  to  lead  him  to  heaven.  Was 
not  this  an  agreeable  reproach  ? ' 

Nevertheless,  these  difficulties,  raised  by  the  Evil  One,  have 
not  prevented  the  faith  from  gaining  day  by  day  upon  the  con- 
fidence of  the  people ;  nor  that  I  should  be  heard  everywhere ; 
nor  our  chapel  from  being  filled  with  catechumens ;  and  finally, 
that  I  should  not  baptize  daily  either  children  or  adults. 

This  is  what  the  Father  has  informed  us  during  the  two 
months  he  has  had  charge  of  the  mission,  having  been  obliged 
to  leave  there  and  return  and  join  his  labors  with  those  of  the 


1  The  persecution  of  the  Jesuit  Fatliers  as  sorcerers  was  common  among  the  Ilurons.  In  a 
liouse  of  Ossossane,  a  young  Indian  rushed  suddenly  upon  Father  Francis  Du  Peron  and  lift- 
ed his  tomahawk  to  brain  him,  when  a  scjuaw  caught  his  hand.  Paul  Kaj;ueneaii  wore  a  cru- 
ciflx  from  which  hung  the  image  of  a  skull.  An  Indian,  thinking  it  a  charm,  snatched  it 
from  him.  The  priest  tried  to  recover  it,  when  the  savage,  his  eyes  glittering  with  murder, 
brandished  his  hatchet  to  strike.  Ragueueau  stood  motionless,  waiting  the  blow.  The  as- 
sailant forbore  and  withdrew,  muttering.  Pierre  Cliaumouot  was  emerging  from  a  Huron 
town,  named  by  the  Jesuits  St.  Michel,  where  he  had  just  baptized  a,  dying  girl,  wlien  her 
brother,  standing  hidden  in  tlie  doorway,  struck  him  on  the  head  with  a  stone.  Cliaumonot, 
severely  wounded,  staggered  without  falling,  when  the  Indian  sprung  upon  him  with  a  toma- 
hawk; but  the  bystamlers  averted  the  blow.  A  noted  chief,  in  the  town  of  St.  Louis,  assailed 
Le  Mercier,  with  tlio  violence  of  a  madman,  charging  upon  him  all  the  miseries  of  the  nation. 
and  seizing  a  lire  brand  from  the  lire,  shook  it  in  the  Jesuit's  face  and  told  him  that  he  should 
I  be  burned  alive.  Le  .Mercier  met  him  with  looks  as  determined  as  his  own,  till,  abashed  at 
this  umhuinted  front  and  bold  denunciations,  the  Indian  stood  confounded. — I'arkmaii'g 
../(■Kiiiln  ill  Xoith  America,  124-5. 


2« 

two  otlicr  Fatbcr.s  at  Onondaga,  where  they  have  established  the 
foundation  and  the  seminary  of  all  the  other  missions  among  the 
Iroijuois. 

Sinee  then,  however,  at  that  same  i)lacc,  the  Father  having  re- 
turned there  accompanied  by  live  or  six  French  and  the  more 
prominent  of  the  village,  who  had  come  here  to  Ijeg  him  to  re- 
turn, he  has  Ijeen  received  with  all  the  eclat  imaginable.  Hav- 
ing f(jund  the  chapel  in  the  same  condition  in  wliich  he  left  it, 
he  resumed  })rayers  on  the  day  of  his  arrival ;  and  so  great  was 
the  zeal  manifested  by  the  converts  and  the  catechumens,  that 
the  Father  writes  that  this  church  is  not  less  promising  than  that 
of  Onondaga." 

In  a(hlition  to  this  account  of  the  labors  of  Menard  at  Cayuga, 
during  the  year  he  was  there,  and  the  dangers  to  which  he  was 
exposed,  we  lind  in  Chap.  VIII  of  the  lielalion  16(32-3,  written 
after  his  death,  this  passage  alluding  to  his  connection  with  the 
mission:  '"His  courage  was  equivl  to  his  zeal.  He  had  seen 
without  fear  the  Irocpiois  rushing  upon  him  knife  in  hand  to  cut 
his  throat,  while  laboring  for  their  conversion  in  the  village  of 
Cayuga.  Others  in  the  same  place  had  lifted  tlieir  hatchets  to 
cleave  his  skull,  but  he  preserved  his  calmness.  He  met,  with  a 
benign  countenance,  the  insults  of  the  little  children  who  hooted 
at  him  in  the  streets,  as  if  he  were  a  lunatic. 

*"  But  this  generous  Father  gloried  with  the  apostle  in  being 
counted  a  fool  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  in  the  very  j^angs  of  persecu- 
tion, he  might  give  birth  to  this  Iroquois  church  founded  by 
him  and  which,  in  a  short  time,  grew  to  the  number  of  four  hun- 
dred Christian.s,  with  the  hopeful  prospect  of  converting  the  en- 
tire hourg,  had  he  not  been  arrested  in  the  midst  of  this  work. 
This  was  when  wc  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  Iroquois  mis- 
sions in  consequence  of  the  fresh  murders  committed  V)y  these 
treacherous  savages,  on  our  frontier  settlements.  Thus  was  he 
forced  to  abandon  this  bountiful  harvest,  the  lirst  fruits  of  which 
he  had  offered  to  heaven,  in  the  death  of  many  little  ones  and 
also  of  adults,  whom  he  had  baptized.  It  was  like  taking  his 
heart  from  his  body,  or  tearing  a  loving  mother  from  her  children." 

We  have  in  the  Relation  of  1659-60  an  account  oi  the  last  la- 
bors of  this  devoted  missionary.     In  1659,  tw(^  years  after  he 


(1  the 
<»•  the 


ng  re- 

3  more 

L  to  rc- 

liav- 

Icft  it, 
sat  was 
IS,  that 
an  that 

Jayuga. 
he  was 
written 
/ith  tiie 
ad  seen 
1  to  cut 
illage  of 
chets  to 
^,  witli  a 
hooted 

iu  being 
persecu- 
\ded  by 
)ur  hun- 
the  en- 
work. 
LOIS  mis- 
y  these 
was  he 
of  whicii 
)nes  and 
iking  his 
hiklren." 
le  hast  la- 
after  he 


IS 


27 

was  forced  to  leave  Cayuga  at  the  breaking  up  of  the  Iro([Uoi3 
missions,  Menard,  then  at  Quebec,  was  selected  to  found  a  mis- 
sion among  the  Sioux,  who,  with  otlier  western  tribes  hud  desired 
commerce  with  the  French  that  they  might  gain  the  means  to 
resist  the  Iroquois.  lie  was  commissioned  to  visit  Green  Bay 
and  Lake  Superior,  and  at  some  convenient  inlet  establish  a  resi- 
dence as  a  missionary  center  for  the  surrounding  nations.  The 
enterprise  was  regarded  as  one  involving  peculiar  exposures  and 
jK'rils  from  the  rigor  of  the  climate  and  the  pitiless  bai-barity  of 
the  savage ;  notwithstanding  which,  this  aged  man,  obedient  to 
the  vows  of  his  order,  and  trusting,  as  he  said,  "in  the  Provi- 
dence which  feeds  the  little  birds  of  the  desert,  and  clothes  the 
wild  flowers  of  the  forest,"  went  forth  into  the  wilderness  to  scat- 
ter the  seeds  of  truth  which  could  only  be  sown  in  tears. 

He  appears  to  have  had  a  premonition  that  this  would  prove 
liis  last  work,  as  writing  in  haste  from  Three  Kivers,  August  27, 
1660,  to  a  dear  friend,  he  says:  "In  three  or  four  months  you 
may  add  my  name  to  the  memento  of  the  dead."^  After  a  journey 
crowded  with  hardships  and  peril,  he  reached  in  the  month  of  Oc- 
tober, the  bay  which  he  named  St.  Theresa,  where  he  remained 
eight  months,  when  he  yielded  to  the  entreaties  of  a  wretched 
company  of  Huron  Christians,  refugees  on  Black  Eiver,  who 
implored  him  to  come  to  them  in  their  misery,  lest  they  should 
lose  altogether  a  knowledge  of  the  faith  ;  and  against  the  expostu- 
lation of  both  the  French  and  his  neophytes,  the  aged  Father 
departed  with  a  single  attendant,  a  Frcnchaian,  for  the  bay  of 
Chegoimegoji  on  Lake  Superior  by  the  way  of  Keweena  Lake. 

About  the  tenth  of  August  (1661),  while  making  a  portage, 

Menard  became  separated  from  his  companion,  who  was  trans- 

:]i()rtmg  the  canoe,  and  missing  his  way  was  lost  in  the  forest  and 

was  never  again  seen.     His  faithful  attendant,  after  a  fruitless 

search,  shouting  and  firing  his  gun  repeatedly  in  the  hope  that 

tlie  poor  Father  might  be  attracted  by  the  noise,  started  for  the 

nearest  Huron  village,  to  procure  help  at  any  cost;  but,  unfor- 

Itunately,  he  himself  lost  his  way,  and  only  reached  the  village 

rtwo  days  after,  under  the  guidance  of    an    Indian   whom    he 


1  liehi/ion  1000,  p.  30,  in  which  the  letter  is  given  in  full. 


J 


28 

clianeei]  to  moot  in  liis  waiKleriiigrf.  It  was  some  time  before  he 
could  make  the  savages  uudci'stantl  liim,  unable  as  lie  was  to 
speak  a  word  of  their  language.  At  last,  however,  he  succeeded 
by  signs  and  gestures,  in  making  known  his  sad  errand,  and  in 
assuring  them  that  they  would  be  liberally  rewarded  for  any  as- 
sistance they  might  render  in  searching  for  the  lost  Father — when 
the  whole  village  was  thrown  into  sudden  alarm  ])y  a  cry  to 
arms,  as  the  enemy  was  at  their  doors,  and  in  the  confusion,  the 
last  hope  of  continuing  the  search  dissipated.  Some  time  aftei', 
the  cassock  of  the  lost  missionaiy,  was  seen  in  the  possession  of 
an  Indian ;  but  he  would  not  acknowledge  that  he  had  found  the 
body,  lest  suspicion  should  rest  npon  him  that  he  had  dealt  the 
fatal  blow.  Other  articles  used  in  worship,  belonging  to  the 
Father,  were  seen  in  an  Indian  cabin;  but  no  satisfactory  clue 
could  be  discovered  as  to  the  time  or  mode  of  his  death.  A 
small  piece  of  dried  meat  which  he  had  with  him  would  suffice 
to  appease  his  hunger  for  two  or  three  days  only;  and  the  most 
probable  supposition  is  that  he  died  of  starvation.  But  whatevei- 
doubt  there  may  hang  over  the  circumstances  of  his  death,  none 
can  rest  upon  the  sincerity  and  fervor  of  his  apostolic  zeal,  or  the 
heroism  of  his  self-sacrifice,  whether  the  lot  fell  to  him  to  be  the 
first  to  plant  the  cross  among  the  Cayugas,  or  to  bear  it  to  the 
nations  not  less  fierce  that  dwelt  by  the  great  maritime  lakes 
of  the  distant  west. 


III. 


Tlie  first  missions  among  tlie  Inxiuois  were  of  short  duration. 
Tiie  settlement  of  tlie  Freneh  witli  tlie  Onondagas,  instead  of  on 
the  banks  of  Lake  Ontario  as  at  lirst  proposed,  and  on  ground 
common  to  tlie  several  nations,  iiad  provoked  anew  tlie  hatred  of 
the  Mohawks,  while  the  murder  of  three  of  the  colonists  ])y  the 
Oneidas,  had  led  to  acts  of  retaliation  on  the  part  of  the  French. 
Moreover,  the  war  heing  waged  for  the  extermination  of  the 
Eries  was  at  its  height;  and  the  prisoners,  including  women  and 
children,  were  brought  in  numbers  to  Onondaga  and  other  Iro- 
quois villages,  and  after  the  customary  tortures  consigned  to  the 
flames.  In  the  midst  of  the  general  turmoil,  a  conspiracy  was 
organized  for  the  slaughter  of  the  colony,  including  the  mission- 
aries. The  plot  was  disclosed  by  a  dying  Onondaga  who  had  re- 
cently been  bai)tized.  Messengers  were  sent  in  haste  to  call  in 
the  missionary  Fathers  from  the  several  cantons,  who  together 
with  the  colonists,  lifty-three  in  number,  were  speedily  gathered 
in  their  fortified  house  on  Lake  Ganentaa.  M.  Du  Puys,  the 
oflticer  in  command,  immediately  entered  upon  preparations  for 
their  esca})e  from  the  country.  Every  movement  had  to  be  con- 
ducted with  the  utmost  secrecy,  as  the  slightest  suspicion  of 
their  intentions  would  lie  the  signal  for  a  general  massacre. 
Moreover  the  savages  were  on  the  watch  day  and  night  as  they 
lounged  before  the  gate  of  the  mission  house  or  stealthily  crept 
about  the  palisade  that  enclosed  the  i)remises.  The  French  find- 
ing that  they  had  only  canoes  for  half  their  number,  built  in  the 
garret  of  the  Jesuits'  house,  unsuspected  by  the  Indians,  two 
batteaux  of  light  (h-aft  and  capable  of  holding  fifteen  persons 
each,  which  were  kept  concealed  until  everything  should  be  in 
readiness  for  the  dei)arture. 

Resort  was  now  had  to  strategem.  Among  the  French  was  a 
A^oung  mar  who  had  been  adopted  into  the  family  of  an  Onon- 
daga chief  and  had  acquired  great  influence  with  the  tribe.     He 


80 

f^'ravely  toM  liis  TosUm-  fatlicM-  tliiit  lie  had  (Iroaincd  the  previous 
iii^ht  liu  was  at  a  feast  at  which  the  j,'U(\sts  ate;  everything  set 
before  thetn,  and  asked  permission  to  make  a  simihir  feast  for  the 
whole  tribe.'  A  day  was  named  for  the  ban(iuet;  the  stores  of 
the  settlement  were  freely  contrii)nted  to  swell  the  bount\'  and 
give  zest  to  the  festivities,  which  took  jilace  on  the  evening  of 
the  20th  of  March  in  a  large  enclosure  outside  the  ])alisade  that 
protected  the  mission  house.  Here,  amid  the  glare  of  bla/.ing 
tires,  Frenchmen  and  Iroquois  joined  in  the  dance,  the  nmsicians, 
in  the  meanwhile,  with  drums,  trum|)ets  and  cymbals  keeping  up 
n  continuous  uproar,  in  the  midst  of  which  those  in  charge  of 
the  boats  were  making  the  necessary  preparations  for  the  em- 
barcation.  The  feast  lasted  until  midnight,  when  gorged  to  re- 
pletion and  under  the  .soothing  notes  of  the  guitar  played  by  the 
young  Frenchman,  the  guests  fell  into  a  jirofound  slumber.  He 
then  silently  withdrew  and  joined  his  companions  who  lay  ujion 
their  oars  anxiously  awaiting  his  corning;  and  Ijef ore  morning, 
the  fugitives  were  far  on  their  wa}'  to  Oswego.  Late  into  the 
next  day,  the  Indians  stood  wondering  at  the  silence  that  reigned 
in  the  mission  house;  yet,  as  the  afternoon  wore  away,  their  i)a- 
tience  was  exhausted,  and  scaling  the  palisade,  they  burst  open  the 
doors  to  tind,  to  their  amazement,  every  Frenchman  gone.  Gaz- 
ing at  each  other  in  silence,  they  fled  from  the  house.  Xo  trace 
betrayed  the  flight  of  the  P'reiich.  "  They  have  become  invisible," 
cried  the  savages,  "and  flown  or  walked  upon  the  waters,  for 
canoes  they  had  not.'"'-' 

Tlie  party  reached  Montreal,  after  a  perilous  journey,  on  the 
3d  of  A})ril,  with  the  loss  of  a  single  canoe  and  three  of  their  num- 
ber drowned  in  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  same  year,  (1657)  a  fe- 
I'ocious  war  between  the  French  and  Iroquois  raged  all  along  the 
Canadian  frontier.  It  lasted  some  two  years,  during  which  the 
juissionary  Fathers  had  a  steadfast  friend  in  Garacontie,  the  re- 
nowned chief  of  the  Onondagas,  who  left  no  means  untried  to 


'A  (Ircnm  was  rcirardcd  ns  n  most  imperative  foim  of  diviiu'  revelation,  mid  wasi  to  bo 
olicyed  at  all  hazards.  This  sort  of  feast  at  wliich  everytliiiis  was  to  be  eaten  {J\Miii  d  mumjn 
t<iiiC\  also  ranked  nmoiig  their  superstitions,  and  was  sometimes  resorted  to  for  the  healing 
(if  the  sick,  an  instance  of  whicli  occurs  in  tlic  next  number. 

-•  Rfhtlioii  l(i5H,  Cliai).  I,  11.  See  also  :  <M  Rk/uh'-  of  Caitaitd,  pp.  ,3j-39.  Shea's  Oif/iolii- 
MMoii^,  pp.  238-339.    Siekl  Bm>k  Reiotulion,  I,  S29-230. 


31 

bring  about  ;i  pcaoo  for  tin;  sivko  of  tlieir  return.'  It  was  through 
liis  influence  tluit  an  embassy  under  charge  of  Saonchiogwa,  the 
head  sachem  (jf  the  Cayugas,  was  sent  to  Montreal  to  secure  this 
object.  The  negotiations  were  attended  with  many  dilTiculties, 
and  recpiired  adroit  management  on  the  part  of  the  Caviiga  orator. 
The  French  had  learned  to  view  with  distrust  such  overtures,  if 
they  had  not  lost  all  conildi'nce  in  lr(M(Uois  sincerity.  "They 
cry  ))eace,"  writes  Father  Le  Jeunc  in  his  account  of  this  em- 
bassy, ''and  murder  in  the  same  breath.  Peace  is  made  at  Mon- 
treal and  war  is  waged  at  Quebec  and  Three  Rivers.  While  wo 
receive  them  at  our  homes,  th(!y  kill  us  in  the  forests,  and  our 
people  arc  murdered  by  those  who  protest  that  they  are  our 
Ijost  friends." 

In  giving  the  account  of  the  embassy  we  follow  the  narrative 
of  Le  .Jeunc:  ''It  was  in  the  month  of  July  (16(K»)  amid  such 
disasters,  that  there  appeared  above  Montreal  two  canoes  of  the 
Iroquois,  who,  on  displaying  a  white  llag,  came  boldly  under  that 
standard  and  put  themselves  into  our  hands  as  if  their  own  were 
not  red  with  our  blood.  It  is  true  they  had  with  them  a  pass- 
port that  put  them  above  all  f(!arof  harm  from  us,  go  where  they 
would,  in  four  French  captives  whom  tlun'  came  to  return  as  a 
pledge  of  their  sincerity.  They  asked  for  a  conference,  saying 
that  they  were  deputed  by  the  Cayugas  and  Onondagas,  from 
w'hom  they  had  brought  messages  of  importance.  Indeed,  the 
head  of  the  embassy  was  the  celebrated  Captain  of  the  Cayuga  na- 


1  It  \va->  not  until  lifter  the  llij^'lit  (;f  the  Kroiich  tliiit  (iiiracoiitic  lii'caiiie  tin-  uvowi-d  \mi- 
tector  of  CliriKtiniis  imd  tlit-  advocate  of  peace.  Indeed,  Iw  tUtcd  up  in  liif*  own  ciibin  a 
(•Impel,  iind  maintained,  so  far  as  he  \\-.\n  iilile,  the  enil>leniH  and  aHsociatioiis  of  the  Faith. 
He  liueceedt'd  in  refcninj;  a  ininil)er  of  Kreiieli  c-iptives  brou^lit  to  the  dilVercnt  eantoi>.  iind 
these  he  would  a«seint)le  at  Oiionda;,'a,  niorniiii,'  and  eveiiiii^r,  witli  the  llnroiH  to  prayer,  at 
the  Hound  of  the  mission  liell,  whicli  he  had  carefully  preserved,  and  wliicli  was  only  allowed 
to  he  used  on  the  n;rave»t  public  occasions.  A  war  party  of  the  Mohawks  in  one  of  these 
raids  in  the  vicinity  of  (Quebec,  took  from  the  Hurons  on  the  Isle  of  Orleans  a  crucifix,  siune 
two  feet  in  lonj,'th,  which  they  bore  ainc-ni;  their  sjioils  to  their  vill.'i<,'e.  On  learniii'.'  of  this, 
(iaracontie  went  in  person  to  the  villafrc  and  by  arj;uinents  and  rich  presents  rescued  the  sa- 
cred symbol  from  lunfaiiation  and  set  it  uji  over  the  altar  whicli  awaitid  the  letiun  of  the 
missionaiy  Fathers.  On  the  resumption  of  the  mission  at  OnondaL'a,  Father  Milet,  in  spenk- 
ini,'  of  his  methods  of  as.sembliiii!  the  adults  to  Catechumen,  says  :  "  1  borrowed  for  this  pur 
pose  n  bell  which  they  had  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  a^o  fnun  those  of  our  Fathers  who 
were  in  this  mission  when  the  war  was  kindled  there."  He  also  speaks  of  its  havini:  been 
used  to  summon  the  deputies  to  the  council,  the  same  that  had  called  the  faithful  ro  worship 
to  the  .Tesuifs  chapel  at  (ianenfici.  Jhta/io/i,  llidl,  tW  :  lli;o,  .')!.  For  an  interesting  account 
(.f  the  finding'  of  fragments  of  this  bell,  see  Clark'.s  //i.v/.  Ononilwja  Co.,  II,  !.'5r,  2715. 


82 

tion,  who  was  friendly  to  us  when  we  were  among  the  Iroquois, 
and  the  host  of  our  Fathers  in  their  labors  to  found  the  first 
church  among  his  people. 

We  ai)pointed  a  day  for  the  conference,  and  received  him  as 
if  innocent  of  any  participation  in  the  murders  which  had  been 
committed  throughout  our  settlements.  The  day  arrived,  when 
he  displayed  twenty  belts  of  wampum,  which  spoke  more  elo- 
quently than  his  speech,  marked  tliough  it  was  from  beginning 
to  end  with  much  native  grace,  and  presenting  with  great  adroit- 
ness all  the  points  to  be  secured  by  his  mission.  He  had  come, 
and  this  was  the  important  object  of  the  embassy,' to  obtain  the 
release  of  eight  Cayugas,  his  countrymen,  ke^t  at  Montreal  since 
the  i)revious  year.  In  order  to  induce  us  to  liberate  these  pris- 
oners, he  broke  the  bonds  of  the  four  Frenchmen  he  had  V>rought 
with  him,  promising  at  the  same  time  the  liberty  of  twenty  oth- 
ers who  were  held  at  Onondaga ;  and  finally  assured  us  of  the 
good  will  of  liis  nation,  notwithstanding  the  acts  of  hostility 
committed  during  the  past  two  years.  His  speech  was  clothed 
in  excellent  terms  and  was  attended  with  much  ceremony. 

First  of  all  he  offered  a  present  to  Heaven  to  bring  back,  he 
said,  the  Sun  which  had  been  in  eclipse  during  these  wars,  the  evils 
of  which  that  luminary  had  refused  to  look  upon.  It  had  been, 
he  said,  forced,  as  it  were,  to  retire  so  as  not  to  shine  upon  the 
inhumanities  that  attend  such  conflicts  among  men. 

Having  thus  pro])itiated  Heaven,  he  next  sought  to  restore  the 
earth,  convulsed  as  it  had  been  by  the  tumult  of  war.  This  he 
did  by  a  present  which  was  intended  at  the  same  time  to  calm 
the  rivers,  clear  out  all  the  rocks,  smooth  down  the  rapids  and 
thus  establish  free  and  safe  intercourse  between  us  and  them. 

Another  present  covered  all  the  blood  that  had  been  shed  and 
brought  again  to  life  all  that  had  been  slain  in  these  wars.  An- 
other gave  us  back  the  comfort  and  peace  we  had  lost  in  the 
troubles  we  had  suffered.  Another  was  to  restore  the  voice, 
clear  the  tln'oat  and  organs  of  speech,  that  none  but  the  pleasant 
words  of  peace  might  pass  between  us ;  and  in  order  to  show 
with  what  sincerity  he  desired  to  be  bound  to  us,  he  said,  in  pre- 
senting a  magnificent  belt :  This  is  to  draw  tlie  Frenchman  to 
us  that  he  may  return  to  his  mat  which  we  still  preserve  at  Ga- 


88 

nentaa;'  where  the  liouse  is  vet  standing  that  he  had  when  he 
dwelt  among  us.  The  tire  has  not  been  extinguished  since  his 
dei>arture,  and  the  lields.  which  we  have  tilled,  await  but  his 
hand  to  gather  in  the  harvest:  he  will  make  peace  flourish  again 
in  the  midst  of  us  bv  his  sta}',  as  he  had  banished  all  the  evils  of 
war.  And  to  cement  this  alliance,  and  bind  us  together  so  firm- 
ly that  the  demons,  jealous  of  our  happiness,  shall  never  be  able 
to  cross  our  good  designs,  we  ask  that  the  holy  sisters  should 
come  and  see  us,  as  well  to  take  care  of  the  sick  as  to  instruct  the 
children,  (he  intended  to  speak  of  the  Hospital  nuns  and  the  Ursu- 
lines);  we  will  erect  roomy  cabins,  furnished  with  the  n.  ...u  beau- 
tiful mats  the  country  affords ;  and  they  need  have  no  fear  of  the 
water-falls  or  the  rapids,  foi'  we  have  so  united  the  rivers  that 
they  may  put  their  own  hands  to  the  oar  without  trouble  or  fear. 
Finally,  he  made  a  full  recital  of  the  comforts  these  good  nuns 
would  find  in  his  country,  not  forgetting  to  mention  the  abun- 
dance of  Indian  corn,  strawberries,  and  other  fruits  of  this  sort, 
which  he  set  forth  in  his  discourse  as  the  strongest  inducement 
to  attract  them  on  this  expedition.  His  whole  manner,  both  of 
gesture  and  posture,  in  arranging  the  two  presents  given  with 
tins  object,  indicated  that  he  was  moved  in  their  bestowal  by 
his  gallantry,  rather  than  by  any  expectation  that  the  request 
would  be  granted.  The  tinal  word  he  spoke,  was  in  a  tone  of 
stern  resolve,  as  raising  the  last  belt  he  exclaimed,  a  Black- 
gown  must  come  with  me,  otherwise  no  peace ;  and  on  his  com- 
ing depend  the  lives  of  twenty  Frenchmen  at  Onondaga.  In 
saying  this  he  produced  a  leaf  from  some  book,  on  the  mai'gin 
of  which  these  twenty  Frenchmen  had  written  their  names,  in 
confirmation  of  the  object  of  the  embassy. 


1  (iancntiia— The  site  of  the  Mission  of  St.  :N:ary.  Tlie  Onomliijjns  liad  a  miall  Indian  village, 
used  as  a  landinj^  place,  situated  near  ttie  southern  extremity  of  Onondaj;u  Lalce.  Nortli  of 
this  and  about  midway  between  the  two  extremities  of  tlie  lake,  on  the  north  side,  was  the 
site  assigned  for  the  French  residence  and  Mission.  It  was  about  twelve  miles  from  the  nniin 
villa^'e  of  the  Onondajxas,  who  then  lived  about  two  miles  south  of  the  jjresent  village  of 
Manlius  in  the  town  of  Pompey.  The  "Jesuits  Well  "  still  exists  with  its  iicconipanying  salt 
fountains,  and  may  be  found  just  north  of  the  railroad  bri(li;e  on  lot  IDti.  This  was  the  Jlr-i 
Caf/to/ic  C/iiipel  i-rnletl  in  the  jire-n-zif  territonj  of  the  Stale  iif  Xeiv  York.  Frontenac,  in  ItiOti, 
erected  a  palisaded  fort  on  this  site,  for  tlie  protection  of  his  batteaux  and  supplies,  while  en- 
gaged in  the  destruction  of  the  Onondaga  and  Oneida  villages.  In  17!(7  Judge  (ieddes,  in 
mnlving  surveys  for  the  Slate,  found  the  remains  of  a  palisaded  work  at  this  point,  some  of 
the  pickets  of  which  were  still  standimr.  This  was  i)rol)al)ly  erected  on  the  same  site  in  I75ii 
by  Sir  Willl;im  Johnson  for  the  Onondagas.  (See  instructions  for  building,  Uoc.  Hist.  X. 
v..  II.  44Mro.)— J.  S.  C. 


84 

After  the  speech,  he  formally  delivered  up  the  four  French 
captives,  who  recounted  to  us  the  lio=pitable  rece})tion  given 
them  at  Onondaga  and  the  kind  treatment  bestowed  upon  their 
companions  whom  they  had  left  behind.  Finall)',  these  poor 
Frenchmen  im[)lored  us,  with  clasped  hands,  to  have  pitv  on 
them  as  we  had  nothing  to  fear  from  these  ])eople  among  whom 
they  had  thus  been  cared  for,  and  begged  us  to  send  one  of  the 
Fathers  to  break  the  bonds  of  their  fellow  captives  and  deliver 
them  fi-om  the  flames,  lo  which  otherwise  they  were  inevitably 
doomed. 

The  diplomacy  of  Saonchiogwa  proved  a  success,  and,  not- 
withstanding tlie  misgivings  of  the  French  as  to  his  personal 
safety.  Father  Le  Moyne,  who.se  visit  to  Onondaga  in  1653  opened 
the  way  for  the  first  missions,  was  allowed  to  return  with  tlie  em- 
bassy, and  arrived  .it  Onondaga  the  12th  of  August,  1660,  when 
the  jiledge  given  by  Saonchiogwa  was  fulfilled  in  the  release  of 
the  French  prisoners  and  their  safe  return  with  the  Father  to 
Montreal.  The  chief  ob.stacle  to  resuming  the  mis.sions  at  this 
time,  was  in  the  implacable  hostility  of  the  Mohawks,  who  per- 
sistently refused  to  make  peace  with  the  French,  until  .six  years 
after,  when  they  were  attacked  on  their  own  ten-itory  by  a  force 
of  a  thousand  men,  led  in  person  by  M.  de  Tracy,  Viceroy  of 
Canada,  and  th-ee  of  their  villages,  with  a  large  (juantity  of  corn, 
destroyed.  This  was  in  the  autumn  of  16()6,  and  resulted  in  the 
restoration  of  peace,  followed  by  the  I'esumption  of  the  missions 
in  the  several  cantons  of  the  Iroquois. 

Before  his  return  to  Montreal,  (1662)  Le  Moyne  made  a  l)rief 
visit  to  the  Mohawks,'  which  nearly  cost  him  his  life,  and  he  was 


'  1)1 1(>5."),  Lo  Moyne  iiindi!  n  \W\t  to  the  Moliiiwks,  mul  instead  of  retnrning  directh'  to  (Que- 
bec, piiss-c'l  tlio  winter  in  Xew  Nutlii'i'liinil,  and  for  tlu:  liivt  time  saw  New  Amsterdam,  the 
Duteli  capital,  eontiiininf,'  tlieu  abont  l.lXKI  inlial)itants.  Wliiie  tliere.  sajH  Brodliead,  illist. 
N.  Y.  Vol.  1.  pp.  04")1  lie  formed  a  warm  friendship  with  Dominie  Johannes  Me-xapolensis, 
whose  early  missionary  efforts  amonij;  tlie  ^Iohrt\sks  led  him  to  look  witli  lively  interest,  if 
not  witli  entire  sympathy,  on  the  /e.ilons  labors  of  the  .Jesuit  Fathers.  It  was  at  this  tinn' 
that  Le  Moyne  coninuiniciited  to  his  distiniriiislied  friend  an  aeeonnt  of  his  visit  in  lt).")4  to  the 
■' (<Hlt  springs  ■■  of  Onondaga.  (lovernor  Stay  vesant  availed  himself  of  the  presence  of  Le 
Moyne  to  obtam  thron^li  his  inlluence  a  permission  from  the  (lovernor  of  Canada  for  Diitcli 
vessels  to  trade  in  the  St.  Lawnmee,  and  n  bark  was  forthwitli  cleared  from  New  Amster- 
dam with  a  carffo  on  which  the  duties  were  remitted,  as  it  was  tlie  tirst  from  Manhattan  to 
Canada.  But  the  unlucky  i)ioneer  vessel  on  enterin;.,'  tlie  St.  Liwrence  was  wrecked  at  An- 
ticosli. 


■;v   ▼;';  v"^«. 


35 

barely  able  to  make  liis  escape  from  tlie  scene  of  his  earlier  mis- 
sionary labors.  The  Cayugas  offered  him  jjrotection,  and  he 
spent  a  month  with  them,  laboring  with  characteristic  zeal  for 
their  spiritual  welfare.  In  the  IMation^  l()()l-2,  Chap.  IV,  we 
have  this  account  of  the  reasons  which  led  Le  Moyne  to  visit 
Cayuga,  and  of  his  work  during  the  brief  time  he  was  there. 

"  The  Iroquois  of  Cayuga,  who  are  less  cruel  and  whom  we  have 
found  more  affectionate  than  the  other  Iroquois  nation.s,  espe- 
cially at  the  time  when  we  ministered  in  their  cantons  to  the  Hu- 
ron church  among  them,  were  moved  with  compassion  at  our 
troubles,  and  in  order  to  give  protection  to  the  Father,  invited  him 
to  come  and  instruct  them  until  the  danger  should  have  passed. 
The  Father  was  rejoiced  at  this  offer,  more  for  the  sake  of  the 
salvation  of  these  kind  barbarians  than  from  any  considerations 
of  personal  safety,  and  went  to  serve  them  for  some  weeks.  He 
was  received  with  public  acclamation,  and  found  an  ample  field 
for  the  exercise  of  his  zeal. 

"  The  lancet  of  a  young  French  surgeon  who  accompanied  him, 
and  whose  skill  God  wonderfully  blessixl  during  the  prevalence 
of  a  dangerous  and  infectious  disease,  aided  the  good  cause  inas- 
much as  many,  whose  lives  had  been  despaired  of,  were  cured. 
This  won  the  hearts  of  the  peo})le  and  opened  to  the  Father  the 
door  of  every  cabin,  where  he  was  met  with  a  kindly  eye  and  lis- 
tened to  with  a  ready  ear,  as  he  spoke  to  them  of  the  things  per- 
taining to  their  salvation.  A  whole  month  was  too  short  to  bap- 
tize all  the  little  children,  and  to  console  a  number  of  good  Hu- 
ron Christian  women,  whose  captivity  of  fifteen  or  twenty  years 
had  not  separated  them  from  the  cherished  Faith.  They  con- 
vert the  cabin  of  tlieir  masters  into  a  temple;  the}'  serve  oiie  an- 
other instead  of  pastors,  and  sanctify  by  their  prayers  the  woods 
and  fields  wliere  Jesus  Christ  would  not  be  worshiped  except 
for  these  pooi-  captives.  What  a  joy  to  this  scattered  Hock'  to 
see  again  their  shepherd  !  The  eye  s])oke  more  than  the  hps  in 
this  ha[)py  interview.  IIow  could  we  i-estrain  our  tears  of  joy 
and  compassion,  seeing  these  poor  Christians  wee))ing  with  such 
devotion!  Surely  these  are  the  tears  which,  llowing  from  the 
eyes  of  the  savage,  heal  his  pains  and  soften  the  labors  of  his  hard 
lot. 


IV. 


Cayuga  was  among  the  last  of  the  cantons  to  have  its  mission 
restored.  In  166-i,  four  years  after  the  embassy  nan-atecl  in  the 
previous  number,  Saonchiogvva  headed  a  delegation  of  ('ayugas 
to  solicit  missionaries,  but  failed.  Two  years  afterward  he  re- 
newed the  request ;  and  Fathers  James  Fremin  and  Peter  Kaf- 
feix  were  chosen  to  accompany  him  to  his  canton ;  but  again 
his  liopes  were  bafiled.  Fremin  went  on  to  the  Mohawks,  and 
Raffeix  remained  at  Montreal  to  carry  out  a  plan  for  a  settle- 
ment at  Laprairie.  Father  Julian  Garnier  was  already  at  Onon- 
daga, and  no  sooner  was  the  mission  there  inaugurated  by  the 
building  of  a  chapel,  than  Garacontie  with  several  French  pris- 
oners, set  out  for  Quebec  to  secure  an  additional  missionaiy  for 
liis  own  people,  and  one  for  the  Cayugas  who  had  been  so  sorely 
disappointed  the  year  before.  He  made  his  appeal  directly  to  the 
Governor,  and  Fathers  Peter  Milet  and  Stephen  de  Carheil  were 
selected  to  accompany  him  to  Onondaga.  Milet  remained  there ; 
and  de  Carheil  proceeded  to  Cayuga  with  Garnier  to  conduct  the 
ceremony  of  his  introduction  to  the  village. 

We  give  the  account  of  the  first  year  of  Father  de  Carheil's 
labors  in  re-establishing  the  mission,  from  Rdaiion  1669,  Chap.  IV  : 

MISSION  OF  ST.  JOSEPII  IN   CAYUGA. 

This  people,  making  a  fourth  Iroquois  nation,  are  located 
about  one  hundred  and  sixty-live  leagues  from  Quebec  and 
twenty  from  Onondaga,  going  always  between  west  and  south. 
Father  Stephen  de  Carheil  arrived  at  Cayuga  on  the  6th  of  No- 
vember, 1668,  and  thei*e  presented  to  Heaven,  as  the  first  fruits 
of  his  labors,  a  female  slave  of  the  Andastes.'     They  had  come 


1  Andastes.  a  term  used  ^cnerictilly  by  tlie  French,  mid  npplied  to  several  distinct  Indian 
tribes  located  south  of  the  Five  Nations,  in  the  present  territory  of  Pennsylvania.  They 
were  of  kindred  blood,  and  sjjokc  a  dialect  of  the  samelansiuii^reasthelrociMoisof  New  York. 
The  most  northerly  of  these  tribes  called  by  Chanii)lain  in  Kil.'j  Carantouannais.  were  de- 
scribed by  him,  as  residing  south  of  the  Five  Nations,  and  distant  a  sliort  tliree  days'  .jour- 
ney from  the  Iroquois'  fort  attacked  by  liim  in  that  year,  whicli  fort  is  supposed  to  have  been 


87 

in  company  fi'om  Onondaga,  and  this  journey  which  they  made 
together  was  the  means  of  enabling  her  to  proceed  on  her  way 
joyfully  towards  paradise  ;  for  having  been  instructed  and  bap- 
tized during  their  journey  of  two  days,  as  soon  as  she  had  ar- 
rived at  Cayuga,  she  was  roasted  and  eaten  by  these  barbarians 
on  the  6th  of  November.' 


located  in  tlie  town  of  Fenner,  Madifon  Co.,  N.  Y.  Late  researches  appear  to  warrant  the 
conclnsion  that  the  large  town  called  Carantouan  by  Champlain,  and  described  as  containing 
more  than  eight  hundred  warriors,  was  located  on  what  is  now  called  "Spanish  Hill,"  near 
Waverly,  Tioga  Co.,  N.  Y.  One  of  the  most  southerly  tribes  was  located  at  the  Great  Falls 
between  Columbia  and  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  and  in  vicinity  of  the  latter  place  ;  described  by  Gov. 
Smith  in  lfi08  as  occupying  Ave  towns,  and  called  by  him  Sasquesahanoughs  or  Susquehannas. 
At  an  early  date,  a  tribe  resided  in  the  vicinity  ot  Manhattan,  called  Minquas,  and  the 
Dutch  colonists  appear  to  have  applied  this  term  to  all  cognate  tribes,  west  of  them,  and 
south  of  the  Five  Nations  ;  in  like  manner  the  English  of  Virginia,  knowing  only  the  Sus- 
quehannas,  considered  all  as  Susquehannas  in  their  vicinity,  to  the  north  and  west.  Less  is 
known  of  these  tribes  than  of  other  nations  by  which  they  were  surrounded.  The  Jesuit 
Fathers  had  no  missions  among  them,  though  frequent  reference  is  made  in  the  Relations  to 
the  wars  between  them  and  the  Iroquois,  and  of  the  torture,  and  burning  of  prisoners,  brought 
by  the  latter  to  their  villages.  In  Relation,  1G47-8,  Andastoe  is  described  as  a  country  be- 
yond the  Neuter  Nation  one  hundred  fifty  leagues  southeast,  J  south  from  the  Hurons  in 
a  straight  line,  or  two  hundred  leagues  by  the  trails.  This  distance  locates  the  town  at  this 
date,  in  a  vicinity  of  Columbia,  Pa.,  and  identifies  them  with  those  known  as  Conestogas, 
probably  the  same  as  the  Susquehannas  of  Smith.  In  Selation  1662-3,  Kather  Lallemant 
says  that  in  the  month  of  April  (1663,)  eight  hundred  Iroquois  warriors  proceeded  from  the 
western  end  of  Lake  Ontario  to  a  fine  river  resembling  the  St.  Lawrence,  but  free  from  falls 
and  rapids,  which  they  descendec  one  hundred  leagues  to  the  principal  Andastogue  village, 
which  was  found  to  be  strongly  fortified,  and  the  aggressors  were  repulsed.  This  route  ap- 
pears to  have  been  through  Genasee  river,  to  Canaseraga  creek,  thence  up  that  stream  and 
by  a  short  portage  to  Canisteo  riirer,  and  thence  down  the  Canisteo,  Chemung  and  Susque- 
hanna rivers  to  the  fort.  This  route  is  indicated  on  the  earlier  maps,  as  one  continuous  river, 
flowing  from  Lake  Ontario,  under  the  name  of  Casconchagon  and  so  apjiears  in  Charlevoix's 
Map  or  1744.  This  probably  is  same  position  alluded  to  In  1647-8.  These  tribes  were  en- 
gaged in  various  wars  with  the  Iroquois  which  began  us  early  as  1600  and  continued  with 
more  or  less  frequency  until  16t5,  those  nearest  the  Five  Nations  being  first  overthrown. 
At  the  latter  date,  their  power  for  further  resistance  appears  to  have  been  completely  broken, 
and  they  were  incorporated  into  the  League,  a  part,  however,  retreated  southward,  and  were 
menaced  by  the  Maryland  and  Virginia  troops,  the  last  remnant  falling  victims  to  the  butch- 
ery of  the  Paxton  boys.  A  very  interesting  account  of  the  Andastes  may  be  found  in  a  paper 
by  Dr.  Shea,  originally  pr.nted  in  the  October  number  of  the  Hlnlorkal  Magazine  1858.  enti- 
tled, '•  The  Identity  of  the  Andastes,  Minquas,  Susquehannas  and  Conestogues  ;*'  and  since 
incorporated  in  his  edition  of  Aluop'K  Maryland.  Gallatin  in  his  map,  followed  by  Bancroft 
and  others,  place  the  Andastes  near  Lake  Erie.  This  may  have  been  one  of  the  most  west- 
ern of  these  tribes  originally  located  farther  east,  and  to  escape  destructicm  by  the  Iroquois, 
accepted  the  alternative  of  emigration.  La  Honton  in  his  map  of  1683  also  places  Andastogue- 
ronons  south  i)f  the  west  end  of  Lake  Erie.  These  may  have  been  the  Ontastois  described 
by  Galinee  in  166)1,  as  near  the  Ohio.— J.  S.  C. 

1  Father  Isaac  Jogues,  the  first  missionary  among  the  Mohawks,  and  who  suffered  martyi- 
doin  at  their  hands,  relates  a  similar  instance  which  occurred  wliile  he  was  among  them. 
They  sacrificed  an  Algonquin  woman,  in  honor  of  Areskoui,  their  war  god,  exclaiming— 
Arenkoiii  to  t/n't  ice  burn  thU  ricliin  f^wt  Djmi  t/iejlf^fi,  and  ijrant  ii»  new  victorien— wherefore 
her  flesh  was  eaten  as  a  religious  rite. 


88 

Father  Garnier,  who  accom})anied  Father  de  Carheil,  on  ar- 
riving at  tlie  village,  made  the  customary  presents  to  secure  the 
building  of  a  chapel  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  reception  of 
the  Christian  faith.  These  were  responded  to  by  similar  presents 
on  their  part,  in  which  they  promised  to  embrace  the  faith  and 
erect  a  chapel.  The  chapel  was  completed  on  the  9th  of  No- 
vember, two  days  after  his  arrival,  and  dedicated  to  St  Joseph 
by  Father  de  Garheil. 

He  writes,  that  on  St.  Catherine's  day,  he  had  the  proof  that 
this  eminent  saint  was  actively  engaged  in  Heaven  on  behalf  of 
himself  and  these  poor  savages ;  that  on  this  day  there  came 
quite  a  number  desiring  prayers  and  instruction,  so  that  he  thinks 
he  may  call  this  the  day  of  the  birth  of  this  mission  and  church. 
"This  is  also  the  day,"  he  adds,  "that  I  implored  this  saint  to 
whom  I  had  before  been  consecrated,  that  she  would  teach  me 
to  speak  in  the  way  she  had  formerly  spoken  to  convince  the 
idolatrous  philosophers.  Since  this  time,  the  chapel  has  been  en- 
larged and  has  never  lacked  for  worshipers." 

It  so  happened,  at  first,  that  but  few  of  their  warriors  were 
able  to  come  for  instruction,  as  the  greater  part  were  engaged  in 
hunting  or  fishing.  But  the  rumor  of  a  war  party  of  the  An- 
dastes  in  the  vicinity,  soon  gathered  them  together  and  gave  the 
Father  an  opportunity  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  a  large  number. 

This  wide-spread  report  that  the  enemy,  to  the  number  of 
three  hundred,  were  on  their  way  to  attack  Cayuga,  proved  false  ; 
but  it  served  as  an  occasion  for  the  Father  to  show  to  the  Iroquois 
that  he  loved  them,  and  to  raise  him  in  their  esteem  b}''  his  con- 
tempt for  death,  in  remaining  night  after  night  with  those  who 
acted  as  sentinels.  Thus  were  they  disabused  of  the  idea,  that 
in  the  general  panic,  he  would  manifest  the  same  alarm  which 
had  seized  others ;  and  the  warriors  themselves,  the  chiefs  with 
the  old  men,  gave  him  a  testimonial  of  the  honor  in  which  they 
held  him,  in  a  public  feast. 

'  The  Father  knew  how  to  make  the  most  of  the  oj^portunity, 
as  he  passed  from  cabin  to  cabin,  saying  to  them :  "  Know,  my 
brothers,  that  men  like  us  fear  not  death.  Why  should  they  be 
afraid  to  die?  They  believe  in  God;  they  honor  Him;  they 
love  Him ;  they  obey  Him,  and  are  certain,  after  death,  of  eter- 


30 


nal  happiness  in  heaven.  It  is  you,  my  brothers,  who  ought  to 
fear  death  ;  tor  till  now,  you  liave  neither  known  nor  loved  God. 
You  have  never  obeyed  Him.  He  will  punish  you  eternally  if 
you  should  die  without  believing  in  Him,  without  loving  Him, 
without  keeping  His  commandments  and  without  being  bap- 
tized." Then,  having  been  invited  by  a  child  into  a  lodge  where 
there  were  about  twenty  warriors,  he  harangued  them  after  this 
manner:  " I  am  delighted,  my  brothers,  to  find  myself  in  like 
danger  with  you.  Be  assured  that  I  do  not  fear  death  ;  that  I 
would  rather  lose  my  life  than  to  see  you  die  without  receiving 
baptism."  And  he  added  as  the  moral  of  this  apprehended  com- 
bat, that  they  would  behold  him  fearlessly  going  among  the 
wounded,  to  baptize  such  as  were  rightly  disposed  by  a  firm  be- 
lief in  our  mysteries  and  a  true  sorrow  for  sin. 

These  warriors  listened  with  marked  pleasure  to  this  di.scourse, 
and  although  it  grew  out  of  a  false  alarm,  eomraon  among  the 
savages,  yet  it  exerted  an  influence  as  favorable  for  the  faith,  as 
if  tlie  enemy  had  really  been  at  the  gates.  Thus  a  wise  mis- 
sionary neglects  no  opportunity,  and  intelligently  improves  the 
time  to  gain,  for  eternity,  precious  souls  which  cost  the  blood  of 
the  Son  of  God. 

This  church  begins  already  to  grow.  It  numbers  among  its 
converts  not  only  women  and  children,  but  also  warriors,  two 
of  whom  are  among  the  more  noted — one  because  he  bears  the 
name  of  the  hourg  of  Cayuga,'  which  he  maintains  with  honor, 
and  the  other  in  consequence  of  his  riches  and  valor.  Prayer  is 
not  despised  at  Cayuga  as  in  other  places.  If  some  are  opposed 
to  it,  they  are  the  very  few ;  nevertheless,  we  are  not  in  haste  to 
give  baptism  to  this  people.  We  wish  rather  to  prove  their  con- 
stancy, for  fear  of  making  apostates  instead  of  Christians. 

The  Father  employed  in  the  beginning  of  his  teachings  e.v- 
clusively  the  Huron  language,  readily  understood  by  the  Iro- 
quois when  it  is  well  spoken.     He  has  since  prepared  a  formula 


'  The  name  of  this  great  war  chief  was  written  Qolgoucn  Orehuoue,  and  he  is  known  in 
tlie  annals  of  tlio  time  as  "Orehaoiie  the  Cayus;a."  The  other  warrior  here  referred  to  wa* 
doubtless  Sarennoa,  wlio  is  associated  with  Orehaone  in  the  subsequent  liistory,  and  particu- 
larly in  the  expulsion  of  Father  de  Carheil  from  their  canton  in  1681,  of  which  at  the  time 
they  were  the  two  head  chiefs.  The  latter  became,  as  will  he  seen,  a  conspicuous  Bgure  in 
the  history  of  New  France. 


^rf-w^  »F<:^7f  fT".  T  ~' 


40 

of  l)ii|)tisirt  in  tlio  Cayuga  dialect,  and  in  eoniiiosiug  it  has  used 
only  the  simple  roots  of  the  language:  and  is  assured  from  his 
familiarity  with  the  Iroquois  tongue,  acijuired  in  his  travels,  and 
from  his  past  exj^erienee,  that  if  in  the  use  of  roots  and  of  various 
discourses,  he  can  gather  a  sufficient  numl)cr  of  words  to  express 
different  actions,  he  will  have  mastered  the  language.' 

Besides  the  town  of  Cayuga,  which  is  the  seat  of  the  mission, 
there  are  two  others  under  his  charge — one  four  leagues  from 
there,  and  the  other  nearly  six  leagues.  The  last  two  are  situ- 
ated upon  a  river,  which  coming  from  the  region  of  the  Andas- 
togue,  descends,  at  four  leagues  distant  from  Onondaga,  on  its 
way  to  empty  into  Lake  Ontario.  The  great  quantity  of  rushes 
on  the  borders  of  this  river  (Seneca)  has  given  the  name  of  Tlii- 
ohero'  to  the  village  nearest  Cayuga.  The  people  who  com[)ose 
the  body  of  these  three  large  villages  are  partly  Cayugas,  and 
partly  llurons  and  Andastes — the  two  latter  being  captives  of 
war.  It  is  there  that  the  Father  exercises  his  zeal  and  asks  com- 
panions in  his  apostolic  labors. 

While  he  takes  occasion  to  praise  the  docility  of  the  Cayugas, 
he  is  nevertheless  not  without  his  trials.  His  host  (Saonchi- 
owaga),  who  is  the  chief  of  the  nation  and  who  had  taken  him 
under  his  protection,  has  for  some  time  past  ill-treated  him ;  for 
desiring  as  the  missionary  of  his  people  a  certain  other  Father, 
whom  he  had  brousrht  with  him  to  his  home  and  whom  it  was 


1  The  dftlculties  which  the  missionary  had  to  encounter  in  this  regard  are  given  at  lengtli 
by  Le  Jeune  in  his  Relation  1633,  where  he  recounts  his  experience,  in  acquiring  the  Ian. 
Etuage  of  the  Lower  Algonquins,  which  in  its  structure  resembled  closely  that  of  the  Hu- 
rons.  After  long  and  patient  labor,  enhanced  by  tlie  incompetency  of  his  teacher,  of  whom  he 
would  often  be  compelled  to  ask  a  number  of  questions  to  reach  the  meaning  of  a  single 
word,  he  prepared  a  grammar  and  a  dictionary  and  succeeded  in  composing  a  catechism,  in- 
cluding the  Lord's  prayer,  the  creed,  &c.,  in  their  own  language.  He  could  do  this  only  as 
he  used  words  which  approximated  to  the  ideas  he  wished  to  express  ;  for  while  he  found  the 
language  copious  in  words  fltting  ideas  derived  from  the  senses,  and  singularly  adapted  the 
knowledge  and  experiences  of  the  savage,  it  had  no  words  to  designate  moral  truths  and 
spiritual  conceptions. 

2  Thiouero,  or  St.  Step/wn,  was  located  at  the  northern  extremity  of  Cayuga  Lake,  on  the 
east  side  of  theiriver,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  John  La  Rowe.  This  was  the  crossing  place 
of  the  great  trail,  at  which  was  afterward  the  bridge  of  the  Northern  Turnpike.  The  Salt 
Springs  mentioned  by  Father  Rafliex  in  1672  were  a  mile  and  a  half  northwest  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  river,  and  about  half  a  mile  north  of  the  Seneca  river  railroad  bridge.  Both  of 
these  places  are  mentioned  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers  as  being  four  leagues,  or  ten  miles,  distant 
from  Goiogouen,  then  located  on  Great  Gully  Brook,  three  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Union 
Springs.  At  the  time  of  Snllivan's  campaign  in  1779,  a  small  village  was  found  here  named 
in  some  of  the  journals,  Choharo.— J  S.  C. 


41 

hi.s  iiulisputahlo  right  to  retain,'  lie  had  allowed  Father  elo  Car- 
heil,  against  his  own  wishes,  to  be  given  toCay.ugaby  Garacontie 
the  famous  chief.  He  says  in  a  haughty  way  that  he  does  not  • 
belong  to  them,  but  to  OnontUiga,  or  perhaps  U)  Oneida,  where 
he  insists  he  ought  to  go.  On  the  other  hand  Garacontie  would 
have  i)referred  Katlicr  de  Carheil,  a!>  having  been  placed  in  his 
hands  at  Quebec,  for  Onondaga  where  he  is  chief.  But  the  ne- 
cessity of  affairs  at  present  has  compelled  the  arrangement  as  it 
is."  This  conflict  of  rights,  however,  and  this  emulation  as  to 
who  will  have  these  nussionaries  is  sulhcient  ground  for  great 
hopes,  and  is  proof  that  to  establish  the  faith,  all  that  isre(iuired 
is  the  necessary  number  of  evangelical  laborers. 

The  famous  Garacontie,  the  most  renowned  of  all  the  Irocpiois 
chiefs,  and  the  most  friendly  of  all  to  the  French,  earnestly  de- 
sires baptism.  He  no  longer  accepts  a  (b'cam  as  a  guide  to  hu- 
man conduct;'  and  promises  that  hereafter  he  will  no  more  grant 
the  things  that  are  dreamed,  without  the  explicit  understanding 
that  it  is  not  because  it  is  a  dream  that  he  accedes  to  the  request. 
Furthermore  he  has  so  conquered  hiuiself  that  he  will  no  longer 
have  more  than  one  wife.  But  inasmuch  as  it  is  necessary  in  a 
chief  of  his  reputation,  that  all  these  matters  should  uudergo  a 
strict  examination,  we  still  defer  baptism.^ 

lie  has  made  the  host  of  Father  de  Carheil  a  present  of  a 
•wampum  belt,  to  affirm  peace  and  to  establish  our  Fathers  iu'mly 
in  that  country.     Moreover,  everybody  among  the  Iroquois  con- 


1  The  refurcnce  licfe  is  to  Father  Freniln,  who,  the  previous  year  had  accoini)anie(l  Suon- 
thiowaira  from  Montreal,  l)iit  inffteatl  of  reniuiniiii;  at  Cayuga  proceeded  to  tlie  Moluiwlis,  and 
was  at  this  time  Superior  of  tlie  Iroquois  Missions. 

5  In  tlie  existinjj  arran^'cment,  tlic  distribution  of  missionaries  was  as  follows:  I)al)lon,  who 
was  with  Chaumonot  »\  Onondaga  m  lOoti,  and  .lean  I'ierron,  who  had  jiist  arrived  from  France 
were  assigned  to  the  Moluiwks.  Bruyas,  who  had  been  about  a  year  in  Canada,  and  who  af- 
terward became  so  distinguished  as  an  Indian  philologist,  was  sent  to  the  Oneidas.  Gamier 
the  first  Jesuit  ordained  at  (Quebec,  and  Milet  were  at  Onondaga,  when  Carheil  was  transferred 
to  Cayuga.  Fremin.  after  being  made  Superior  of  the  Missions,  went  to  theSeneeas  and  was 
soon  joined  by  Uaffeix.  There  was  a  Senceii  village,  named  (Jandougare,  composed  of  refu- 
gees from  the  Neuter  Nation  and  the  Hurons,  which  Fremin  himself  took  charge  of.  detail- 
ing Gamier  from  Onondaga  to  Gandacliira;.;ou,  about  four  miles  south  of  the  great  town  of 
the  Senecas,  Sonnontouan. 

:i  Dreams  were  the  oracles  of  the  Iroquois,  and  wore  to  be  obeyed  at  all  hazard-*. 

•»  In  .June  t6ro,  on  embassy  led  by  (iaracontie  visited  (iuebec,  at  which  time  the  renowned 
chief  was  baptized  by  tlie  Lord  Bishop  Laval,  with  great  ceremony,  and  took  the  name  of 
Uuniel,  from  Courcelles,  Governor  of  Canada.    Ilis  Indian  name  signified— .Vi/w  that  wlraiiceg. 


tinues  to  appreciate  tlie  blessings  of  peace,  after  seeing  the  victo- 
ries of  the  French  arms  among  their  neighbors.  Nevertheless, 
nothing  is  so  assured  among  these  barbarians,  that  it  is  not 
necessary  always  to  be  on  one's  guard. 

Father  de  Cai'heil,  perceiving  tliat  it  had  a  good  efTect,  by  way 
of  ridicule,  with  those  savages  who  choose  something  created 
and  vile  as  the  master  of  their  lives,'  to  frame  a  prayer  in  ac- 
cordance with  their  notions,  has,  in  cei'tain  instances,  resorted  to 
this  method : 

"  We  must  pray,"  said  he,  "  to  the  master  of  our  life ;  and  since 
this  beaver  is  the  master  of  thy  life,  let  us  offer  him  a  prayer: 
Thou  0  Beaver,  loho  canst  not  speak,  thou  art  the  master  of  the  life 
of  me,  w/io  can  speak!  Thou  who  hast  no  soul,  thou  art  the  master 
of  my  life  loho  have  a  soul  r  One  such  prayer  brought  them  to 
serious  reflection,  and  made  tliem  admit  that  they  had  hitherto 
shown  a  want  of  common  sense  in  recognizing  these  creatures  as 
the  masters  of  their  lives.  Thus  he  introduces  little  by  little,  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God,  and  teaches  them  his  command- 
ments, which  they  find  to  be  most  reasonable. 

But  alas!  these  fair  beginnings  are  unhappily  reversed.  All 
the  powers  of  hell  are  arrayed  in  opposition.  Superstition  has 
taken  a  new  lease  of  life ;  and  the  Father  has  discovered  that  in 
a  heathen  and  barbarous  country  a  missionary  is  compelled  to 
carry  his  life  in  his  hand.  The  Father  had  gone  to  Tiohero, 
and  there  been  invited  to  a  feast,  at  which  everything  was  to  be 
eaten,'  for  the  healing  of  a  sick  person,  whom  he  went  to  visit 


)  The  tnanitou,  or  master  of  life,  was  the  spirit  that  ruled  all  things.  It  might  be  of  a  bird, 
a  buffalo,  a  bear,  &c.,  or  even  a  feather  or  a  skin.  It  is  said,  moreover,  that  no  Indian  would 
choose  the  manitou  of  a  tmm  for  an  object  of  adoration. 

3  Each  guest  was  required  to  eat  the  whole  of  the  portion  assigned  him,  however  great  the 
qusintity  ;  otlierwise  his  host  would  be  outraged,  the  community  shocked,  the  evil  spirits  be 
roused  to  vengeance,  and  death  and  disaster  ensue  to  the  individual  and  the  nation.  This 
kind  of  feast  had  other  significations,  as  would  appear  from  an  incident  which  Mr.  John 
Bartram  relates  as  occurring  on  his  journey  from  Philadelphia  to  Onondaga  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1743.  He  was  in  company  with  Conrad  Weiser,  who  was  in  high  repute  with 
the  Delawares  and  Iroquois,  Lewis  Evans  and  Shickalmy,  the  father  of  the  celebrated 
Logan.  "We  lodged,"  he  writes,  "within  about  ftfty  yards  of  a  hunting  cabin,  where 
there  were  two  men,  a  squaw,  and  a  child.  The  men  came  to  our  Are,  made'  us  a  present 
of  some  venison  and  invited  Mr.  Weiser,  Shickalmy  and  his  son  to  a  feast  at  their 
cabin.  It  is  incumbent  on  those  who  partake  of  a  feast  of  this  sort,  to  eat  all  that 
comes  to  their  share  or  burn  it.  Kow  Weiser,  being  a  traveler,  was  entitled  to  a  double 
share ;  but  being  not  very  well,  was  forced  to  take  the  benefit  of  a  liberty  indulged  him  of 


48 


Wthe 

bts  be 

This 

I  John 

I  811  m- 
with 

Orated 

vhere 

Ireeent 

their 

II  that 
bouble 
kiin  of 


with  the  design  of  liaptizing  her,  jiftor  imparting  tiie  necessary 
instruction.  Observing  thtit  he  did  not  e;it  all  this  tliey  had  pre- 
pared for  him,  they  insisted  that  it  was  essential  that  he  should 
eat  it  all  in  order  to  heal  the  sick  one.  "  I  do  not  sec  my  broth- 
ers," he  re[)lied,  "that  I  can  heal  her  In  making  myself  sick  by 
over  eating,  and  by  a  remedy  which  the  Master  of  our  lives  for- 
bids; since  it  would  make  two  persons  sick  instead  of  one — the 
tirst  one  remaining  sick  and  he  who  over  eats  becoming  so.'' 
All  were  taken  by  surprise  with  this  reply.  The  sick  person, 
above  all,  approved  of  what  had  been  said,  declaring  that  since 
this  was  not  the  i^ropcr  course,  she  was  resolved  to  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  superstitious  remedies  of  this  sort,  nor  with  their 
dances  as  well,  which  only  served  to  split  a  sick  person's  head.' 
After  that,  she  permitted  no  remedy  which  the  missionary  deemed 
superstitious,  and  after  baptism,  she  was  taken  from  Tiohero  to 
Cayuga  where  she  made  confession  of  sins  committed  since  she 
had  received  the  grace  of  baptism.  At  length  she  died,  filled 
with  the  consolation  of  knowing  that  after  death  she  would  be 
eternally  happy.  Her  death,  however,  joined  with  the  wide  spread 
impression  that  baptism  caused  the  death  of  individuals,  con- 
firmed the  delusion  with  which  the  Evil  One  has  blinded  these 
people  to  prevent  their  salvation. 

Since  this  occurrence,  the  Father  writes  us,  that  he  has  often 
been  repulsed  and  even  driven  from  the  cabins  whither  he  has 
gone  to  visit  the  sick.  But  to  understand  fully  the  situation  in 
which  lie  soon  found  himself,  and  the  danger  of  losing  one's  life, 


eating  by  proxy,  and  called  me.  But  both  being  unable  to  cope  with  it,  Evans  came  to  our 
asHistiince,  notwithstanding  which  we  were  hard  f>et  to  get  down  the  necli  and  throat,  for 
these  were  allotted  to  us.  And  now  we  had  experienced  the  utmost  bounds  of  their  indul- 
gence, for  Lewis,  ignorant  of  the  ceremony  of  throwing  the  bone  to  the  dog,  though  hungry 
dogs  are  generally  nimble,  the  Indian  more  nimble,  laid  hold  of  it  first  and  committed  it  to  the 
Are,  religiously  covering  it  over  with  hot  ashes.  This  seems  to  be  a  kind  of  offering,  perhaps 
first  fruits  to  the  Almighty  power  to  crave  future  success  in  the  approaching  hunting  season." 
These  Indians  proved  to  be  Qiiyugis,  on  their  return  to  their  own  country.— Obfierralionx 
&c.,  in  his  (ravel* from  Pi^uHlvania  to  Oiiomla^o,  Oswego,  &c.,  London,  1751,  p.  24. 

1  Charlevoix  gives  an  extended  account  of  the  superstitious  customs  here  alluded  to.  The 
instance  as  told  him  by  a  missionary  Fatiier  who  witnessed  the  scene,  was  that  of  a  Huron 
woman  afflicted  with  a  rheumatic  distemper,  who  tooli  it  into  her  head  that  she  should  be 
cured  bv  means  of  a  fe;ist.  the  ceremonies  of  which  were  under  h>>-  own  direction.  The  va- 
rious performances  lasted  four  days,  attended  with  cries  or  rather  bowlings  and  all  sorts  of 
extravazant  actions.  Hi*  informant  stated  that  she  was  not  cured,  but  claimed  to  be  better 
than  before  ;  nevertheless,  he  added,  a  strong  and  healthy  person  would  have  been  killed  by 
the  coTumony .—See  JourMy  in  North  America,  11,  202-200. 


TT* 


44 

•to  wliich  tlio  ini.ssioiuii'y  iti  this  licatlieii  couMtry  is  coiitinuiiUy 
exposed,  it  is  necessary  to  give,  in  I'.is  own  w  lus,  the  evil  treut- 
ment  he  has  received,  more  partienhirly  on  one  or  two  oeeasions. 

"\  had  entered  a  cabin,"  he  says,  "to  instruct  and  hapti/e  a 
young  vvoiniiii,  the  «hiughter  of  a  Huron  (japtive;  and  though  the 
time  foi"  baptism  was  ])ressiii;^-  she  would  not  listen  to  nu;  as 
she  did  at  the  commencement  of  her  siekness,  when  her  father 
answered  saying,  ''Thou  speakest  as  formerly  spoke  Father 
Brelieuf  in  our  country.  Thon  teachest  that  which  he  taught ; 
and  as  he  caused  men  to  die  by  Douring  water  on  their  heads, 
thou  wilt  cause  us  to  die  in  tl  ■,  ame  manner."  I  well  knew 
from  that  moment  that  there  was  nothing  to  hope  for.  Im- 
mediately after  this,  I  observed  one  to  enter  who  is  a  medicine; 
man  of  our  eal)in:  nevertheless  he  is  much  attached  to  me,  and 
is  in  the  habit  of  praying  to  God,  and  even  kn(jws  the  prayers 
by  heart.  He  remained  for  some  time  with(jut  disclosing  his 
purpose,  but  .seeing  that  I  did  not  retire,  he  commenced,  in  my 
presence,  lirst  to  a})i)ly  some  remedies  in  which  I  saw  no  harm  ; 
and  then  not  wishing  my  presence  during  the  application  he  was 
al)out  to  make  of  certain  other  remedies,  he  insisted  that  I  shovdd 
leave  the  cabin.  It  caused  me  great  sorrow  to  make  u|)  my  mind 
to  leave,  and  I  could  not  do  it,  as  I  looked  uj)on  this  poor  ci'ea- 
ture  dying,  without  weeping  with  all  the  comi)assion  of  which 
my  eyes  were  ea}>able.  As  I  saw  the  people  that  Tilled  the  cabin 
astonished  at  my  tears,  and  also  met  the  look  of  the  sick  person 
who  at  the  first  had  turned  her  eyes  from  me,  I  spoke  to  them 
after  this  manner :  "  Why  do  you  wonder,  my  brothers,  to  .see 
me  wcejj  thus?  I  love  the  salvation  of  this  soul,  and  I  see  her 
about  to  fall  into  eternal  lire,  becau.se  she  is  not  willing  to  hear 
my  words.  I  bewail  her  danger  which  you  cannot  know  as  I 
do."  After  this  I  left  and  sought  a  neighboring  iield  to  ]K)ur 
out  my  complaint  to  Grod,  still  beseeching  the  salvation  of  this 
per.son.  But  there  was  no  more  tunc ;  for  a  few  moments  after 
they  had  driven  me  out,  and  in  my  person  the  mercy  of  God, 
this  unhappy  soul  was  taken  from  the  body  b}^  divine  justice 
and  banisiied  eternally  from  heaven. 

I  felt,  through  the  evening,  my  heart  tilled  with  the  bitterness 
of  grief,  which  took  away  all  disposition  to  sleep,  ever  keeping 


45 

bcforo  my  cyos  tlio  loss  of  this  soul  that  I  lovcil  iiiid  df^sircd  ti» 
save,  l)Ut  vvliicli  now  was  lost.  I  then  had  a  nuK-h  clearer  e<}n- 
eeption  than  ever  before  of  the  singular  anguish  of  the  heart  of 
.lesus  who  loved  all  men  and  desired  to  siwo.  them  all,  but  who 
nevertheless  knew  the  prodigious  multitud»(  of  men  that  would 
darmi  themselves  in  the  course  of  the  ages.  His  .sorrow  was  in 
proporticm  to  the  greatness  of  his  love.  That,  which  at  the  loss 
of  this  one  .soul,  so  beat  down  mv  heart,  was  out  of  love  which 
did  not  approach  the  love  of  Jesus — only  a  feeble  spark  of  it. 
()  God,  what  was  the  condition  of  the  Savic^U's  heart,  (;on.scious 
of  this  universal  sorrow  over  the  fate  of  all  the  damned  !  O  how 
small  is  the  grief  which  men  feel  for  tcMuporal  losses  in  compar- 
ison with  that  which  oni;  feiils  for  the  loss  of  souls,  when  he  re- 
alizes their  inlinite  worth!  Then  the  words  of  St.  Paul,  which 
describe  the  sulTerings  lu;  recounts  from  his  experience,  cauie 
into  my  mind;  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  those  which  expressed 
his  deepest  anguish,  were  S!i>Uicituilo  Eccleslnnitn — the  care  of  the 
churches. 

Whilst  engaged  in  these  thoughts  I  was  astonished  at  the  ap- 
pearance of  my  host,  who  approa(;hed  me  witli  a  frightened  coun- 
tenance and  whispered  in  my  ear,  that  I  must  not  go  abroad  on 
the  morrow,  nor  (>ven  for  three  day.s  on  the  side  T)f  the  town 
in  which  is  the  cabin  of  the  woman  who  had  just  died.  My  lirst 
thought  was  that  they  had  formed  tlu;  design  to  tomahawk  me. 
Then  all  the  bitterness  of  my  heart  was  dissipated  and  changed 
into  extreme  joy,  at  .seeing  myself  in  danger  of  death  for  the  sal- 
vation of  souls.'  I  urged  him  to  give  me  the  reason  why  I 
should  not  go  in  that  cpmrtcr;  and  though  he  did  not  .seem 
willing  that  I  shoidd  think  they  intended  to  kill  me,  he  never- 
theless said  enough  to  make  mc  believe  it.  I  did  what  ])rudence 
demanded,  and  replied  that  I  would  restrain  my.self  from  going, 


1  The  Jesuit  ruisBiontiry  craved,  iiliove  till  thliign,  the  j,'lory  of  miirtyrdoin.  The  desire  some- 
timex  roi^e  to  a  jiusKioii,  as  in  the  vow  of  Urebeiif  ^^hlch  he  renewed  each  day.  cxchiiniintr  iis 
lie  partook  of  the  sacred  wafer  :  What  n/iafl  I  rnnlcr  unto  flit-c,  Jmim  my  Lwilfnv  all  thii  Ix-n- 
(lit".  I  will  accap'  thij  cup,  aivl  inrok-  thij  nam'.  /  voir  Ihinfinv  in  the  xirjhl  of  thy  Ktcrnid 
Futh-r  uml  th"  IMy  Si)int ;  in  th"  itiyhf  of  thy  mM  lltly  Molhir,  nml  .SV.  Joni'jih  ;  heforr  the 
holy  anje'.K,  (lip^'o  an-l  mirlyrx,  anl  before  my  xaint'd  FMi'rn  If/n'tHwi  anil  Fruncii  Zarler, 
to  tliee  my  Jeftis  I  row,  nerer  to  it-clln-.  thi  ojip'jrtiinity  of  mirtyr<hin  and  wver  to  receire  the 
death  blow  but  with  Joy.    lielutlon  1049  Chap.  V  ;  18. 


46 

during  these  three  days,  in  my  work  of  instruction  to  the  other 
side  of  the  town. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  old  men  were  almost  continually  in 
council  to  restrain,  by  presents,  this  furious  man  who  had  re- 
solved my  death,  the  report  of  which  reaching  Onondaga  ere- 
atv^d  much  excitement  among  all  our  Fathers  and  in  the  neigh- 
boring cantons,  even  causing  them  to  send  by  express  to  know 
the  truth  of  the  matter,"  The  affair  lias  had  no  further  result. 
All  is  now  appeased,  and  Father  de  Carheil  continues,  without 
fear,  his  ordinary  labors. 

This  first  aflfront  that  he  received  was  only  a  trial  (;f  his  cour- 
age to  prepare  him  for  a  similar  one  given  by  a  yoiing  warrior, 
who  chased  him  from  his  cabin  because  the  Father  would  not 
allow  him  to  say,  that  in  roasting  an  ear  of  Indian  corn  in  the 
ashes  he  was  roasting  the  master  of  his  life.'  These  are  the  only 
instances  of  ill-treatment  that  he  has  received  in  the  town  of 
Cayuga,  composed  of  more  than  two  thousand  souls,  and  in 
which  the}''  count  more  than  three  hundred  warriors. 

They  do  not  associate  death  with  prayer,  as  with  baptism. 
Many  warriors  and  num.1  )ers  of  women  pray  to  God.  The  chil- 
dren even  know  the  })rayers  by  heart.  The  knowledge  of  God's 
commandments  has  become  common  in  their  families;  and  so 
eager  are  they  for  instruction,  that  they  ask  to  pray  to  God  in 
the  open  streets. 

Drunkenness,"  which  has  penetrated  even  to  the  Cayugas,  has 
made  havoc  among  them  and  hindered  greatly  the  progress  of 


1  The  maize,  the  native  corn  of  America,  is  still  honored  with  a  species  of  worship  by  the 
Arickasses  in  Dacotah.  See  Mhiux/raphij  and  P/iilolocn/ of  IIidatm«—U.  S.  Geol.  and  Geog. 
Surrey,  1668,  p.  12. 

2  In  this  same  year,  1668,  at  the  suggestion  of  Father  Pierron  of  the  Moliawk  mission,  several 
sachems  of  that  canton,  came  to  New  York  with  a  petition  to  the  English  Governor,  Lovelace, 
accompanied  by  a  letter  from  the  missionary  asking  him  to  interpose  liis  authority  to  prevent 
the  introduction  of  into.xicating  liquors  among  the  Indians.  Lovelace  at  once  directed  the 
oftlcers  at  Albany  to  put  in  force  the  existing  laws  against  selling  liquors  to  the  Indians,  and 
assured  Pierron  in  a  letter  that  he  would  take  all  possible  care,  and  under  the  severest  penal- 
ties to  restrain  and  hinder  all  such  traffic.  BelatUm  1669,  Chap.  1,  p.  6.  In  1702.  Father  de 
Carheil  himself  writes  to  Intendant  C'hampigny  from  Michilimakinac  :  "Our  missions  are 
reduced  to  such  extremity  that  we  can  no  longer  maintain  them  against  the  infinity  of  dis- 
order, brutality,  violence,  scorn  and  insult  which  the  deplorable  and  infamous  traffic  in 
brandy  has  spread  universally  among  the  Indians  in  these  parts.  ♦  ♦  *  In  the  despair  into 
which  we  are  plunged,  nothing  remains  for  us  but  to  abandon  them  to  brandy  sellers  as  a 
domain  of  drunkenness  and  debauchery."  Archir«i  NalUmale*.  For  full  account  of  what 
was  styled  the  "Brandy  Quarrel,"  see  Old  Begiuie  qf  Canada,  .319-325. 


47 

the  gospel.  The  Father  writes  us  from  there,  that  it  is  very 
common  for  them  to  drink  for  tlie  mere  sake  of  intoxication. 
They  avow  this  loudly  beforehand;  and  one  and  another  is 
lieard  to  say,  "  Tarn  going  to  lose  my  head;  J  am  going  to  drink 
the  water  which  takes  away  my  ivits.'' 

The  number  of  persons  that  have  been  baptized  is  twenty- 
eiglit,  of  whom  one-half  have  already  died,  with  such  prepara- 
tion as  leads  us  to  believe  that  they  have  gone  to  heaven. 


'  '■      1 


V. 


The  second  letter  of  Father  de  Carheil  from  Cayuga  hears 
date  June,  1670,  and  is  prefaced  witli  the  statement  that  the 
canton  lias  three  principal  towns,  viz.,  Cayuga,  which  bears  the 
name  of  St.  Joseph,  Kiohero,  otherwise  called  St.  Stephen,  and 
Onontare'  or  St.  Bene. 

I  have  ba])tized,  since  last  autumn,  twenty-five  children  and 
twelve  adults,  a  good  portion  of  whom  Heaven  has  claimed,  and 
among  them  nine  children,  whose  salvation  is  thus  secured.  The 
loving  providence  of  God  has  appeared  to  me  so  manifest  in  ref- 
erence to  some  for  whom  I  had  almost  no  iiope,  that  I  have  been 
taught  by  experience,  a  missionary  ought  never  to  desj)air  of  the 
conversion  of  any  soul,  whatever  resistance  it  may  offer  to  (h- 
vine  grace, 

I  had,  as  it  ai)peared  to  me,  thrown  away  my  time  and  labor 
in  endeavoring  to  gain  to  God  a  man  and  woman  already  very 
old,  and  who  at  best  could  not  live  long.  The  things  of  heaven 
made  no  impression  upon  their  hardened  hearts.  They  regard- 
ed faith  and  baptism  with  horror,  as  serving  only  to  hasten  their 
death.  For  it  is  the  received  opinion  of  the  larger  part  of  this 
people,  founded  as  they  say  on  their  own  observation,  that  for 
the  thirty  years  and  more,  in  which  onr  fathers  have  labored  for 
the  conversion  of  the  Indians  of  Canada,  not  only  the  families, 
but  likewise  whok  nations,  which  have  embraced  the  faith  have 


1  The  site  of  this  town  \vu8  near  Suvnnnali,  in  Wiiyne  Co..  N.  Y.  It  was  about  five  miles 
north  of  Thioliero,  located  at  the  foot  of  Cayufra  Lake  (note  on  page  21),  and  fifteen  miles 
from  (iol-o-j,'ouen  (Caynga)  on  Great  (JiiUy  Brook,  three  and  a  half  miles  noiith  of  Tnion 
Springs.  It  api)ear8  on  CharlevoixV  maj)  as  Onnontatacct,  and  is  mentioned  in  1688  as  Onnon- 
tatae,  a  village  of  the  Cayugas  where  tliere  arc  several  cabins  and  being  on  ilic  way  from  the 
Buy  of  the  Cayugas  ((Jrcat  Sodus)  to  Ooi-o-goucn.  All  these  names  convey  the  idra  of  iiwun- 
toiii;  and  a  site  known  locally  as  Fort  Hill,  south-east  of  Savannah,  on  a  high  elevation,  was 
probably  one  of  the  very  early  locations  of  this  town.  Other  sites  on  lower  lands  near  would 
naturally  retain  the  name  after  the  great  hill  had  been  abandoned.— J.  S.  C. 


4[) 

become  desolated  or  extinct,  almost  as  soon  as  they  have  become 
Christians,  and  that  the  greater  part  of  those  on  whom  is  con- 
ferred holy  baptism  die  soon  after  receiving  it.  These  wretched 
j)eo])le  seem  to  be  so  possessed,  on  this  snbject,  with  the  artitices 
of  tlie  Evil  One  that  they  do  not  consider  that,  for  the  most  [)art, 
the  persons  we  bai)tize  are  alread;^  in  the  extremity  of  their  dis- 
ease and  nigh  to  death,  and  tlms  that  baptism  cannot  be  the 
cause  of  their  death  any  more  than  of  their  sickness.  This  pop- 
ular error  had  so  alarmed  these  two  poor  savages  that  they  would 
not  listen  to  the  idea  of  being  baptized,  nor  permit  me  even  to 
visit  their  fi-iends  when  sick.  Nevertheless,  having  seen  each 
other  stricken  down  with  a  mortal  malady,  they  sought  our  in- 
structions and  demanded  baptism  with  such  ardor  of  desire  that 
it  was  not  possible  to  refuse  them.  Thus  God  knows  well  how 
to  inter]>ose  in  favor  of  Ilis  elect  and  the  mo.st  suitable  time  for 
the  infallible  operation  of  His  grace. 

The  ])erson  of  all  this  neighborhood,  who  had  given  me  most 
sohcitude  with  respect  to  her  baptism,  and  finally  the  most  con- 
solation, is  a  woman  of  the  Senecas,  who  had  been  sick  for  nine 
or  ten  months.  The  extraordinary  number  of  persons  she  liad 
seen  die  after  the  arrival  of  Father  Fremin  in  her  canton,  men, 
women  and  children  ;  and  the  noise  made  everywliere  about  him 
as  the  sole  autlior  of  this  general  desolation,  and  by  his  sorceries 
and  magic  and  poisons  causing  death  wherever  he  went,  had 
given  this  woman  such  a  horror  of  our  person  and  remedies,  our 
instructions  and  of  ba[)tism,  that  I  could  not  gain  access  to  her, 
nor  obtain  an  opjKirtunity  to  sjjeak  to  her  of  her  salvation.  She 
had  even  conununicated  this  aversion  to  all  in  the  same  cabin, 
saying  that  they  were  dead  if  they  ])ermitted  me  to  come  near 
tliem.  She  had  alarmed  them  to  such  a  degree,  that  as  soon  as  I 
entered  the  cabin  they  all  remained  in  })rofound  silence,  regarding 
me  with  a  friuhtened  look,  and  in  their  unwilliu'jjness  to  hear  mc, 
making  no  response,  except  that  T  should  leave  forthwith.  Tn 
exchanging  her  residence  subscipiently,  she  fortunately  went  to 
live  with  persons  who  were  friendly  to  me;  still  she  prescu-ved  in 
her  heart  the  old  aversion  toward  me  as  one  who  carried  about 
with  him  a  deadly  poison,  with  the  j)ower  to  communicate  it  by 


50 

woi'd  or  look.'  But  the  more  this  poor  woman  held  me  in  repug- 
nance, the  more  our  Lord  enabled  me  to  exercise  charity  toward 
her,  and  to  hope  for  her  salvation,  even  against  hope  •  and  though 
I  saw  no  way  in  which  this  could  be  brought  about,  night  and 
day  I  thought  ot  her,  commending  her  to  God,  and  her  guardian 
angel,  and  to  the  one  who  has  care  of  me,  and  to  those  who 
watch  for  the  salval  if.n  of  the  people  near  to  her.  The  night  of 
her  death  I  felt  strangely  impressed  to  offer  mass  solely  for  her ; 
and  in  this  I  solemnly  vowed  to  our  Lord  that  there  was  noth- 
ing in  this  world  that  I  was  not  willing  to  sacrifice  to  Him,  i)ro- 
vided  he  would  accord  to  me  this  soul  for  whose  salvation  He 
had  given  a  thousand  fold  more  than  I  could  offer  Him,  since 
He  had  bought  it  with  His  own  blood,  and  by  His  life.  After 
mass,  I  went  to  visit  her  five  or  si.x  times;  but  the  Evil  One  still 
retained  his  hold  upon  her  blinded  mind.  She  would  only  re- 
gard me  with  a  fierce  and  angry  look  and  drive  me  from  her 
presence.  One  time  her  resentment  rose  to  such  a  pitch,  that 
weak  as  she  was,  she  took  one  of  her  shoes  and-hurled  it  at  me, 
and  I  left  the  cabin.  But  God,  who  would  save  this  soul, 
pressed  me  to  re-enter  immediately ;  and  prompted  me  to  adopt 
this  method  of  gaining  her  attention.  I  addressed  the  people 
about  her,  saying  to  them  the  things  which  I  would  teach  the 
sick  person  herself,  as  if  intended  for  them.  In  this  way  she 
was  led  to  apprehend  very  clearly  the  danger  of  eternal  misery, 
which  hung  over  her,  and  was  touched  with  the  thought  of  in- 
finite happiness  in  paradise,  now  brought  so  near  for  her  ac- 
ceptance. In  availing  myself  of  this  mode  of  address,  I  spoke 
before  her  to  those  persons  of  all  these  things,  to  which  I  added 


>  David  Brainerd  in  his  diary  of  iniHsionary  labors  among  tlie  Selawaref>  in  1744,  writes 
thus  :  '•  I  jjcrceived  that  some  of  them  were  afraid  to  hearlten  to  and  embrace  Christianity 
leet  tliey  should  be  enchanted  and  poisoned  by  some  of  the  poicatvs  ;  but  I  was  enabled  to 
plead  with  them  not  to  fear  these  ;  and  conftding  in  God  for  safety  and  deliverance,  I  bid  a 
challenge  to  all  thew  jmivem  qf  darknens  to  do  their  worst  on  me  first."  (Life  of  Bminerd,  p. 
lOT.)  John  Brainerd,  brother  of  David,  also  a  missionary  among  the  Delawares  thus  alludes  to 
the  same  superstition  :  "  It  is  said  that  the  Indians  keep  poison  among  them  ;  and  that  it  is 
of  such  a  nature  that  if  one  takes  it  in  his  breath  it  will  cause  him  in  a  few  months  to  pine 
away  and  die.  \nd  this  is  supposed  to  be  in  the  keeping  of  their  old  and  principal  men,  and 
by  this  means  they  keep  the  people  in  continued  dread  of  them.  And  some  of  the  Indians 
seem  to  be  so  sottish  as  to  imagine  that  they  can  poison  them  by  only  speaking  the  word, 
thougli  they  are  at  a  distance  of  twenty  or  thirty  miles,  and  are  consequently  afraid  to  dis- 
please them  in  any  point. "—/,(/(?  qf  John  Brahwrd,  p.  234. 


51 

some  considerations  on  the  mercy  of  Jesus  Clirii  ,  who  became 
man  for  our  salvation,  giving  her  to  understand  that  He  would 
bestow  upon  her  His  everlasting  love,  if  she  would  only  have 
recourse  to  Him  in  simple  trust.  I  passed  the  day  without  any 
satisfactory  result  Finally,  I  returned  that  evening  as  for  the 
last  time.  It  proved  however,  the  first  in  which  I  gained  her 
confidence.  This  time  I  only  spake  to  her  with  my  eyes,  regard- 
ing her  with  a  gentle  kindness,  and  a  sympathy  sensibly  touched 
by  her  afliiction,  and  endeavoring  to  render  some  little  attentions 
to  alleviate  her  condition.  I  perceived  that  she  began  to  relent 
and  show  a  disposition  to  tolerate  me.  But  God  availed  himself 
of  a  brave  woman,  who  was  instrumental  in  finally  gaining  this 
soul  to  Him,  "It  is  time,"  she  said  "that  thou  hearest  this 
which  the  Father  would  teach,  to  the  end  that  thou  maycst  be 
happy  through  all  eternity."  "  I  am  content,"  replied  the  sick 
person,  "let  him  instruct  me,  I  will  hear  him  gladly."  She 
now  listened  with  remai'kable  attention  and  docilitv.  She  re- 
ceived with  faith  all  my  instructions,  and  at  my  request  that 
she  would  repeat  after  me  the  prayers,  said:  "Tliou  seest  well, 
my  brother,  that  I  can  scarcely  speak.  My  disease  is  heavy  upon 
my  chest  and  suffocates  my  voice,  but  I  pray  you  believe  that 
my  heart  says  all  that  thou  sayest,  and  what  my  tongue  cannot 
sa}'.  Now  baptize  me  without  delay  ;  I  wish  to  die  a  Christian, 
that  Jesus  may  have  pity  on  me."  I  baptized  her  on  the  mo- 
ment, and  the  same  night  God  called  her  to  heaven.  Oh  !  how 
well  we  are  rewarded  for  all  our  anxieties,  painful  as  they  may 
be,  by  one  such  marvelous  conversion;  and  how  happy  is  a 
missionary  in  awaiting  from  God  that  which  to  his  feebleness 
appears  impossible.  lie  realizes  the  truth  of  the  words  of  the 
evangelist,  that  God  can  cause  to  he  horn  of  these  very  stones  chil- 
a  unto  Ahraham — that  is  to  say,  choose  his  elect  from  these 
hearts  which  to  us  appear  so  hard  and  im|)enetrable  to  His  grace. 
I  declare  in  all  sincerity  that  it  is  to  me  a  great  consolation  to 
see  myself  surrounded  by  so  many  sepulchres  of  saints  in  a  place, 
where,  on  my  arrival,  my  eyes  rested  only  on  the  graves  of  the 
heathen;  and  as  it  was  this  spectacle  of  the  dead  which  struck 
me  so  painfully  on  my  first  coming  here,  so  it  is  now,  the 
thought  that  gives  me  the  greatest  joy. 


52 

The  first  winter  after  I  cjiine  to  this  vilhige,  God  favored  nic 
with  the  privih'ge  of  giving  baptism  to  two  good  women,  one  of 
whom  liad  called  me  expressly  to  baptize  her,  on  tiie  Day  of 
PuriHeation.  They  both  survived  their  baptism  an  entire  year, 
and  as  they  had  been  faithful  to  their  promises,  and  fre(|uented 
thejn-a^'crsand  sacraments  with  devotion,  I  doubt  not  they  have 
increased  the  number  of  the  elect  in  Heaven. 

A  Christian  man  and  Christian  woman  of  our  ancient  church 
of  the  Ilurons,  have  also  given  me  the  greatest  consolation  as 
the  witness  of  the  purity  of  their  faith  and  of  their  liv^es,  until 
death  for  which  they  had  attained  a  saintly  preparation  in  tlie 
use  of  the  sacraments  of  the  church. 

In  arranging  for  my  first  catechetical  exercise,  and  apjjrehen- 
sive  that  none  would,  of  their  own  accord,  respond  in  pul)lic,  I 
drilled  befoi-ehand  some  of  the  children  more  [)articularly,  as  an 
example  to  the  others  of  the  manner  I  would  have  them  answer 
the  questions.  But  I  was  taken  by  surprise  when  I  saw  three 
or  foul'  women,  among  the  more  aged,  rise  on  their  feet  to  an- 
ticipate the  children  in  their  responses.  After  the  first  day, 
we  counted  eighty-eight  })ersons  present,  besides  a  number 
who  listened  at  the  door.  One  day,  after  explaining  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world  and  the  number  of  years  we  count  since  the 
beginning  to  our  time,  and  in  order  tiiat  they  might  the  more 
readily  comprehend  the  matter,  1  had  shown  it  by  some  small 
stones  which  I  used  as  counters,  to  prevent  confusion  and  aid 
them  to  repeat  the  com])Utation,  when  a  warrior  rose  all  at  once 
in  his  place  and  faithfully  rehearsed  all  that  I  had  said  ;  but  he 
did  not  fail  to  demand,  by  way  of  reward,  the  same  priw  that  I 
gave  to  the  children.' 


'  LeJeune  thus  describes  liis  mstliod  of  ciitochetical  instnictloii  while  union;?  tlie  Algon- 
(luins.  Calling  the  children  around  liini  witli  his  little  hell,  lie  had  them  all  join  in  the  open- 
ing exercise,  in  tliis  prayer  in  their  own  language  \—Noiikldma»n  .hMm  iuf/otia  Khutliiohi- 
inonitou  KMkitoiiiiiu  mi-  K/iitrntaiiwiiiii.  Canitoimchkhieu  Murui  omraoiuct  ,/e>iii  ra  catu- 
miachichuii  ■foi-t-p/i  uiinihitoulKUn  —Mij  Cojitaiii,  Jt:tii.i,  teach  tiie  i/nj  ivarilx  (iiid  thy  will.  O 
good  Man/,  iiwther  of  God ,'  ()  {HkmI  Jostph,  pray  for  iik.  After  this  tliey  were  iiiadc!  to  repeat 
the  several  parts  of  the  catecliism,  wiicn  the  Fatlier  would  explain  to  them  the  niysteriis  of 
the  faith,  as  the  Holy  Trinity,  or  the  Incarnation  ;  after  which  he  would  ask  ;  Do  you  nn, 
deretand  nie  ?  At  which  they  replied— A'wo,  J^xv,  ninisitioidenaii — I'ei,  yes,  ire  understand. 
Then  followed  such  questions  as  these  :  How  many  (iods  are  there  y  Which  of  the  three 
persons  became  man  !•  The  exercises  being  concluded  by  chanting  in  their  native  tongue 
the  Pater  Xo<ter,  put  in  metre,  the  Father  gave  the;n  some  simple  food,  which  tliay  ate  with 
much  relisli.    Relation  ItW),  p.  33. 


68 


The  remainder  of  this  letter  of  Father  de  Carheil  is  more  par- 
ticidarly  occupied  with  the  metliods  by  which  he  sought  to  com- 
bat the  superstitions  of  tlie  peoj)le  in  the  matter  of  dreams,  evinc- 
ing tact  and  ingenuity  not  only,  but  a  sincerity  and  devotion 
which  we  cannot  fail  to  respect  and  admire.     It  will  serve  to 

*  illustrate  the  whole  subject  by  giving  one  or  two  instances,  occur- 
ring at  Cayuga,  as  found  in  Chapter  IX  of  Ri'laiion,  l()r)6,  show- 
ing among  other  curious  details  of  the  customs  and  life  of  these 
people  the  estimate  in  which  dreams  were  held  as  authoritative 
revelations  of  the  divine  will. 

It  is  not  long  since  that  a  man  of  the  castle  of  Cayuga  dreamed 
one  night  that  he  saw  ten  men  ])lunge  into  a  fro/en  river. 
through  a  hole  in  the  ice,  and  all  come  out  at  a  similar  opening, 
a  little  way  beyond.  The  first  thing  he  did,  on  awakening  from 
his  sleep,  was  to  make  a  great  feast,  to  which  he  invited  ten  of 
his  friends  They  all  came.  It  was  a  joyous  occasion.  They 
sang:  they  danced,  and  went  through  all  the  ceremonies  of  u 
regular  banquet.  "This  is  all  well  enough,"  at  Icngtli  said  the 
host:  "you  give  me  great  ]jleasure,  my  brothers,  that  yon  enjoy 
my  feast.     But  this  is  not  all.     You  must  prove  to  me  that  you 

'  love  me.""  Thereui)on  he  recounted  his  dream,  which  did  not 
appear  to  surprise  them :  for  immediately  the  whole  ton  oil'ered 
themselves  for  its  prompt  execution.  One  goes  to  the  river  and 
cuts  in  the  ice  two  holes,  fifteen  paces  from  each  other:  and  the 
divers  strip  themselves.  The  (irst  leads  the  way,  and  plunging 
into  one  of  the  holes,  he  fortunately  comes  out  at  tin;  other. 
The  second  does  the  same ;  and  so  all  of  them  until  the  tenth, 
who  pays  his  life  for  the  others,  as  he  misses  the  way  out  and 
miserably  perishes  under  the  ice. 

Tu  the  same  town  of  Cayuga  there  happened  an  occurrence 
which  produced  a  great  excitement  throughout  the  canton.  A 
man  dreaming  that  he  had  made  a  caimibal  feast,  invites  all  the 
chiefs  of  the  nation  to  assemble  in  council,  as  he  has  something 
■  f  great  importance  to  communicate.  Being  assembled,  he  tells 
them  that  it  has  fallen  to  him  to  have  a  dream,  which  if  he  did 
not  execute  would  cost  the  ruin  of  the  nation,  and  with  its  over- 
throw a  general  destruction  over  the  whole  earth.  He  goes  on 
at  some  length  with  the  matter:  and  then  gives  an  oi»portunity 


54 

for  any  one  to  interpret  his  dream.  No  person  ventures  to  di- 
vine its  meaning;  until  finally,  one  hardly  believing  that  it  can 
be  so,  says :  "  Thou  desirest  to  make  a  feast  of  a  man.  Take  my 
brother,  liehold  I  place  him  between  thy  havds!  Cut  him  in  pieces! 
Put  him  into  the  kettle!''  Terror  seized  all  present,  except  the 
dreamer  himself,  who  replied  that  his  dream  demanded  a  wo- 
man !  Whereupon,  such  was  their  sujierstition,  they  took  a  young 
maiden  and  adorned  her  person  with  all  the  riches  of  the  coun- 
try, with  bracelets,  and  collai's  and  coronets ;  indeed  with  every 
variety  of  ornament  in  use  among  women,  even  as  the}'  are  wont 
to  decorate  their  sacrificial  victims;  and  thus  this  poor  innocent, 
in  ignorance  of  the  meaning  of  this  profuse  adornment,  was  led 
to  the  place  designated  for  the  sacrilice.  Ail  the  people  came 
together  to  witness  the  strange  s])cctacle,  and  the  guests  took 
their  places.  The  victim  was  brought  into  the  centre  of  the  cir- 
cle and  placed  between  the  hands  of  the  sacrificer,  the  one  on 
whose  account  this  offering  was  to  be  inade.  He  receives  her, 
and  regarding  intently  the  innocent  one,  has  compassion  upon 
her;  and  as  all  are  looking  for  him  to  deal  the  death  stroke,  he 
cries  out:  "/aw  content;  my  dream  is  satisfied! "  Is  it  not, adds 
the  missionary  Father,  a  great  charity  to  open  the  eyes  of  a  peo- 
ple imposed  upon  by  such  absurd  errors  ? 

The  narrative  of  Father  de  Curheil,  detailing  his  method  of 
meeting  this  superstition,  is  a  further  illustration  of  its  nature 
and  the  power  it  had  over  the  habits  and  life  of  this  people.  He 
writes:  I  have  earnestly  combated  their  superstitions,  particu- 
larly the  divine  authority  they  attribute  to  dreams,  which  may 
be  said  to  be  the  foundation  of  all  their  errors,  as  it  is  the  soul  of 
their  religion.  I  have  nevertheless  recognized  two  tilings  in 
my  efforts  to  combat  it.  First,  that  it  is  not  propei-ly  the  dream 
that  they  worship  as  the  master  of  their  life,  but  a  certain  one  of 
the  genii,  they  call  Agatkonchoria,'  who,  they  believe,  speak  to 
them  in  sleep  and  command  them  to  obey  implicitly  their  dreams. 
The  principal  one  of  these  spirits  is  Taronhiaouagon'^  whom 
they  recognize  as  a  divinity  and  obey  as  the  supreme  master  of 


1  Otkon  means  a  spirit  or  demon.    Onondaja  Dictionary.    Bniyiip,  Mohawk  Radicals. 
8  "Upliolder  of  tlie  lieavens,"  from  Garonliiague,  lieaven. 


55 

their  life;  and  when  they  speak  of  a  dreatii  as  divine  they  only 
mean  that  it  is  by  means  of  it  they  know  the  will  of  God,  and 
what  is  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  their  life;  and  further- 
more that  the  actual  doing  of  the  things  they  had  seen  in  a  dream, 
contributes  to  promote  their  health  and  happiness.  The}-  also 
sometimes  give  the  name  of  master  of  their  life  to  the  object 
of  their  dreain,  as  for  example  to  the  skin  of  a  bear,  or  to  simi- 
lar things  which  they  have  seen  in  their  sleep;  and  because  they 
regard  them  as  charms  to  which  God  has  attached  the  good  for- 
tune of  a  long  life.  Thus  they  take  special  care  to  preserve 
them  with  this  view,  and  when  they  are  sick,  cover  themselves 
with  them,  or  place  them  near  their  persons  as  a  defence  against 
the  attacks  of  disease. 

The  second  thing  I  have  recognized  in  combating  the  obedi- 
ence they  render  to  their  dreams,  is  that  they  are  not  able  to 
understand  how  the  soul  acts  during  sleep  in  thus  representing 
to  them  objects  distant  and  absent,  as  if  near  and  present. 
They  persuade  themselves  that  the  soul  quits  the  body  during 
sleep,  and  that  it  goes  of  itself,  in  search  of  the  things  dreamed, 
and  to  the  places  where  they  see  them,  and  it  returns  into  the 
body  toward  the  end  of  night,  when  all  dreams  are  di.ssipated. 
To  refute  errors  so  gross,  I  proposed  to  them  three  questions. 

First :  I  demanded  of  tliem,  whether  the  body  of  the  person 
while  in  the  act  of  dreaming  was  dead  or  alive?  It  is  alive,  they 
said.  It  is  the  soul  then,  I  replied,  that  makes  one  live,  and  if  it 
were  absent  from  the  body,  the  body  would  be  dead,  and  so  it 
cannot  be  true  that  the  soul  leaves  the  body  during  sleep. 

Second :  Tell  me,  I  said,  is  it  with  the  eyes  that  we  see  the 
things  which  appear  to  us  in  our  dreams;  as  for  example  an  en- 
emy who  comes  to  attack  me ;  a  friend  whom  I  meet  on  the 
path  ;  a  deer  which  I  am  pursuing  in  the  chase?  It  cannot  be 
with  the  eyes,  they  replied,  that  we  see  them,  for  during  sleep 
our  eyes  are  closed  and  covered  with  darkness,  they  see  nothing. 
It  is  our  soul  then,  I  said,  that  causes  us  to  see  at  the  time,  what 
\ye  see  in  our  dreams,  and  consequently  it  is  as  necessary  that  it 
should  be  present  with  us,  and  in  our  body  while  we  sleep,  as  for 
our  eyes  to  be  in  our  head,  in  their  ordinary  place,  vvhen  by 


56 

means  of  tlieni  we  see  the  objects  which  present  themselves  dur- 
ing the  day.  .    ' 

My  third  ((uestion  was  tliis :  If  the  soul  leaves  the  body  dur- 
ing sleep,  where  does  it  go?  Does  it  go  unto  the  enemy's  conn- 
try?  Does  it  go  on  the  chase  in  the  forest?  What  is  it  doing 
while  absent  ?  Have  you  ever  found,  on  waking,  the  scalp  the  soul 
put  into  your  hands,  bringing  it  to  you  from  the  war?  Or  the 
bear  upon  your  mat,  that  the  soul  has  killed  for  you  while  you 
were  aslee[)?  Often  at  the  same  moment  I  see  myself  in  France, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  great  water,  and  here  among  you.  Is 
my  soul  at  the  same  time  here  and  in  France?  They  had  no 
reply  to  these  question.s,  and  stood  convicted  of  their  errors. 

It  is  not  so  easy,  however,  to  make  them  understand  the  phi- 
losophy of  dreams,  in  which  things  that  imjnvss  themselves  upon 
the  imagination  are  ])resent  to  the  mind  in  sleep,  in  the  same 
manner  in  which  the  images  of  the  objects  we  see,  represent 
themselves  to  the  sen.ses.  I  have  always  endeavored  to  ex}>lain 
in  as  clear  a  maimer  as  possible  these  things,  by  comparing  the 
mind  with  itself,  when  it  simply  recalls  by  an  act  of  memory 
distant  scenes,  and  when  in  a  dream  it  only  imagines  what  ap- 
pears to  be  present.  Y'ou  know  well,  I  said,  that  during  the  day 
our  soul  remembers  what  occurred  some  time  ago,  and  in  places 
very  far  oft".  Is  it  not  true  that  even  now  it  presents  the  coun- 
try of  the  Andastogues,  Outaouaks,  (.Quebec  and  Montreal,  to 
those  of  you  who  have  been  there,  as  if  you  were  there  now? 
^'our  soul  has  not  left  your  body  to  go  to  any  of  these  places, 
for  y(ni  are  still  alive:  it  has  not  passed  the  great  river,  nor 
made  any  journey.  The  same  thing  occurs  in  dreams  during 
the  night.  But  again  I  said  to  them,  why  should  the  mere  rep- 
resentations of  objects  which  arc  in  the  mind  while  we  are 
asleei)  be  the  ma.sters  of  our  lives  rather  than  the  images  of  the 
same  objects  which  are  depicted  in  the  same  mind  while  awake? 
For  this,  whi(!h  is  called  a  memory  during  the  day,  is  called  a 
dream  if  it  occur  in  the  night. 

I  then  asked  them  if  children  not  yet  born  had  not  some  one 
who  was  master  of  their  life?  They  said  yes.  Now  it  is  not 
possible,  I  replied,  that  this  should  l)e  a  dream,  for  as  yet  it  is 
not  possible  for  them  to  have  a  dream.    In  fact,  of    ".at  could  they 


57 

"  (li-ciim?  Of  knives,  hatchets,  swords  or  the  like  tliintrs?  Tliey 
h;ive  never  seen  iinv.  It  cannot  he  a  (hvain  that  is  the  master 
of  their  hfe  Ijofore  l)irth,  nor  even  a  loni"'  time  after  they  eorno 
into  the  work),  since  it  is  some  years  befoi'e  they  have  dreams. 
.It  is  necessary  then  that  they  shonid  have  some  other  master  of 
their  hfe,  and  anotiier  god  than  the  dream,  for  all  this  while. 
But  when  they  begin  to  dream,  it  cannot  he  that  the  one  who 
was  formerly  the  master  of  their  hfe  should  cease  to  be  such. 
None  wonkl  know  liow  to  dispkice  him  nor  rob  liini  of  this  (jual- 
ity  and  tliis  power  that  lie  exercised  over  this  infant  beton;  he  l»e- 
gan  to  dream.  He  continues  then  to  be  the  ."same  as  l)efore,  and 
thus  he  is  their  master  before  tlieir  birtli,  and  when  as  yet  they 
have  had  no  dreams.  He  is  their  master  after  tlieir  birth  and 
when  they  begin  to  dream.  He  is  e(|ually  sue;!  in  the  time 
of  their  youth  and  of  tlieir  old  age;  in  fact  t(j  tlieir  death,  and 
even  after  their  death.  And  know  that  this  Master,  whose 
power  is  innnutable  and  et(!rnal,  is  the  God  whom  we  adore,  and 
who  will  recompense  all  of  us  according  to  our  deeds.  It  is  lutt 
the  dream,  which,  as  your  own  experience  has  often  told  you, 
on!}'  imjioses  upon  you  impious  and  unreasonable  demands,  and 
which  has  deceived  you  a  hundred  times  in  the  course  of  your 
lives. 

These  barbarians  show  that  they  are  capable  of  listening  to 
reason  and  of  perceiving  its  light  in  all  its  purity;  for  some  of 
th.e  more  enlightened  declare  that  they  were  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  what  I  had  said  to  them  and  have  since  renounced  these 
vain  superstitions.' 

The  inclinations  of  these  people  only  prompt  them  to  engage 
in  the  chase  or  in  war.  They  form  into  parties  of  twenty,  thir- 
t}',  iifty,  a  hundred,  sometimes  two  hundred, — rarely  do  thev 
amount  to  a  thousand  in  a  single  troop;  and  these  bands  divide 
in  pursuit,  the  one  of  men  and  the  other  of  beasts.  Thev  make 
war  more  as  robbers  than  as  soldiers,  and  their  expeditions  ai'e 
rather  surprises  than  regular  battles.  Then-  chief  glory  is  in  I'c- 
turning   accompanied  l)y  captives,  men,  women    and  children. 


1  For  account  of  the  Dream  Feast  of  the  Iroquois  as  witnes.--ed  by  Dablon  niicl  Cliaunioiiot, 
see  Appendix. 


68 

or  Indeii  with  the  scalps  of  those  whom  they  have  slain  in  the 
fight.' 

As  for  the  rest,  one  can  only  say  that  there  are  no  greater  ob- 
stacles to  the  success  of  our  missions  than  the  victories  they  ob- 
tain over  their  enemies,  which  only  render  them  insolent;  and 
that  there  is  nothing  more  desirable  for  the  advancement  of 
Christianity  in  this  country  than  the  humiliation  oi'  their  spirits, 
which  breathe  only  bl(x)d  and  carnage;  which  glory  in  killing 
and  burning  their  fellowmen  and  whose  ])rntal  (lis[)osition  is  so 
diroctl>  opposed  to  the  meek  and  humble  heart  of  Jesus  Christ. 

We  have  passed  the  last  winter  quite  peaceably,  and  without 
the  alarm  into  which,  ordinarily,  the  incursions  of  the  Andas- 
togues.  who  have  been  long  enemies  of  this  nation,  have  occa- 
sioned us.  But  last  Autunm  they  sent  a  messenger  with  three 
waini)um  belts  to  treat  for  peace.  He  had  been  until  the  month 
of  March  awaiting  a  reply  in  order  to  return  home.  But  the 
Onondagas  having  made  war  with  the  Andastogues  this  last 
winter,  and  having  taken  from  them  eight  or  nine  prisoners,  pre- 
sented two  of  them  to  the  inhabitants  of  Cayuga  with  forty  belts 
of  wampum  to  induce  them  to  continue  the  war  against  the 
connnon  enemy.  Immediately  after  this,  they  broke  the  head 
of  the  unfortunate  messenger  whom  they  had  detained  for  live 
or  six  months,  and  who  believed  himself  to  be  on  the  eve  of 
his  departure.  His  body  was  buried  after  his  death,  and  a 
nephew  of  his,  who  had  ac;iompanied  him,  shared  the  same  fate 
at  the  hands  of  these  savages  who  care  but  little  for  the  laws 
of  nations,  and  who  keep  faith  no  further  than  it  serves  their 
own  interests.  We  can  truly  say  that  we  are  among  them  as 
perpetual  victims,  since  there  is  no  day  in  which  we  are  not 
in  danger  of  being  massacred.  But  this  a'so  is  our  greatest  joy. 
and  the  spring  of  our  purest  con.solation. 


1  Tlic  i^miillor  parties*  of  six  or  seven  were  tlie  most  to  bo  dicaded.  They  would  follow  the 
trail  of  iin  enemy  to  kill  him  while  'le  slept,  or  lie  in  nmbnsh  near  ii  villiisje  for  an  oi)portu. 
nity  to  tomahawk,  it  miylit  be,  a  woman  and  her  children,  when  the  brave  would  tly  back 
with  his  companions  to  hani;  the  trophies  in  his  cabin.  It  was  the  danger  of  such  inroads  in 
time  of  war  that  made  every  English  family  on  the  frontier  insecnrc. 


VI. 


of 


TIio  Cayuga  mission  had  from  tlic  first  a  steadfast  friend  and 
])atron  in  Saoncliiogwa,  the  chief  of  the  canton,  wlio  may  be  said 
to  liave  stood  next  to  Garacontie,  the  great  Onondaga  chieftain, 
in  esteem  and  influence  among  both  the  Iroquois  and  tiic  French. 
Ilis  speeches  at  the  general  council,  which  opened  the  way  for 
the  establishment  of  the  missions  in  the  several  cantons  (^f  the 
confederacy,  and  as  the  head  of  the  emljassy  to  Montreal  for  the 
restoration  of  peace  with  the  French,  in  1600,  as  given  in  previ- 
ous numbers,  are  line  specimens  of  Indian  sagacity  and  elo- 
quence. The  year  1671  is  signalized  in  the  history  of  the  mis- 
sion by  the  ba[)tism  of  this  tlistingnished  sachem.  The  event 
took  place  in  (.Quebec,  and  was  attended  with  marked  solemnities. 
It  appeal's  from  the  JMation  for  1671,  that  in  the  spring  of  that 
year,  a  Seneca  embassy  headed  by  Saoncliiogwa,  was  sent  to 
Quebec,  to  restore  some  P'>ttawatamies  whom  the  braves  of  that 
canton  had  captured  by  a  surprise  and  in  violation  of  good  faith 
toward  the  French.  The  account  proceeds  to  say  that  as  soon 
as  Saoncliiogwa  arrived  at  Quebec,  he  labored  incessaiuly  to  ac- 
quit himself  of  the  commission  with  which  he  was  charged  by 
the  Senecas.  "  He  held  a  council  with  the  Governor,  and  })laced 
in  his  hands  the  eight  captives  with  earnest  protestations  on  the 
part  of  the  Senecas  of  submission  and  obedience  to  all  his  orders. 
The  Governor  entertained  him  and  his  suite,  and  all  things  be- 
ing concluded  with  testimonials  of  satisfaction  on  both  sides,  the 
Chief  concentrated  all  his  energies  upon  the  important  matter  of 
his  salvation,  to  the  exclusion  of  every  other  subject.  lie  had  an 
earnest  conference  with  Father  Chaumonot  then  in  ciiarge  of  the 
Huron  Mission.  It  was  not  necessary  to  devote  much  time  for 
his  instruction  and  enlightenment  in  the  knowledge  of  our  holy 
mystei'ies.  He  had  been  well  informed  concerning  them  for 
more  than  fifteen  years,  even  from  our  first  arrival  in  their  coun- 


»^""M'«  ',-«^»['.' 


60 

trv,  when  it  was  his  good  fortune  to  he  present  in  t'.ie  distin- 
guishetl  couneil  of  the  Five  nations  at  Onondaga,  whieh  Father 
Chaumonot  addressed,  foi-  two  entire  honrs.  in  exphniation  of 
the  prineipal  artieles  of  ourfaitli.  This  Father  was  hstened  to 
with  a  siknit  and  wrapt  attention,  that  was  very  notieeable,  par- 
tieularly  iri  the  eountenance  and  eyes  of  our  Catechumen.  The 
Chiefs  of  these  nations,  each  in  his  turn,  repeated,  according  t<t 
their  custom,  the  discourse  of  the  Fatiier,  but  he  did  this  more 
eloquently  than' all  the  others.  Besides,  he' has  had  the  advan- 
tage of  having  been  the  host  of  Fathers  liene  Menard  and  Ste- 
phen de  Carheil,  who  formed  and  nurtured  in  his  nation  the 
church  of  St.  Joseph.  He  had  the  good  fortune  to  share  in  all 
the  instructions,  general  and  ])ersonal,  of  these  Apostolic  men. 
He  had  conversed  familiarly  with  them,  and  been  a  witness,  da}'' 
and  night,  of  their  labors,  cares  and  indefatigable  zeal.  He  had 
seen  the  marvelous  conversions  among  his  compatriots  and  of 
his  nearest  kindred,  who  had  embraced  the  faith  and  made  a 
pul)lic  profession  of  the  same.  But  all  these  favors  of  heaven 
only  served  at  the  time  to  convince  him  of  the  vanity  of  their 
superstitious  customs,  and  of  the  superiority  of  our  holy  religion, 
without  making  an}''  efficacious  impression  on  his  heart,  or  in- 
duciuo;  him  to  abandon  the  vices  conmion  to  savage  life.  Be- 
sides,  the  sjiirit  he  then  manifested,  which  ap[)eared  to  us  crafty, 
j)olitic,  adroit  and  con;|)laisaut.  comj)elled  lis  to  wait  upon  divine 
mercy  for  a  more  favorable  moment  to  open  to  him  the  door  of 
salvation  in  holy  baptis.n. 

In  fine,  this  nn)ment.  so  umch  desired,  seemed  to  have  come 
with  this  occasiou.  lie  ojiencd  his  heart  to  Father  Chaumonot, 
declaring  in  such  satisfactory  terms  his  resolution  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian, and  to  renounce  forever  all  the  customs  of  his  country  not 
in  conformity  with  the  holy  precepts  of  the  Gosp(;l,  that  the 
Father  was  fully  persuaded  that  he  spoke  from  his  heart.  So  that 
his  Lordshi[)  the  Bishop.  tlion)ughly  iurormcil  of  the  whole  case, 
deemed  it  unnecessary  to  withhold  any  longer  the  grace  of  bap- 
tism. He  was  pleased,  therefore,  to  confer  with  his  own  hand 
this  sacrament:  and  ^l.  Talon,  the  Iiitendant,  gave  him  the 
name  of  Louis.  The  ceremony  was  attended  with  all  ])o.ssi1)le 
soleiunitv,  and  concluded  with   a   magnilicent  feast  whicli   the 


~»?'''»T'.i"r%  -^^T^'^  '   •?, 


61 

Intendant  caused  to  be  prcjiaivd  in  helialt"  of  tlie  new  convert, 
allowing  him  the  liberty  to  invite  all  wlioni  he  desired.  The  Ir- 
Ofinois,  Algonqiiins  and  Hurons,  were  present  in  large  numbers: 
and  yet  so  bountiful  was  the  provision,  tliat  after  having  i)ar- 
taken  abundantly,  they  (.-arried  away  enough  to  feast  those  who 
I'eraaineil  to  guard  the  cabins.'' 

The  C(Mulition  of  the  missif  i  of  St.  .Jose|)h  at  Cayuga  for  this 
meuTorable  year  in  its  history,  appears  from  the  annual  narrative 
of  Father  de  Carheil,  whicli  is  as  follows: 

"  The  recent  progress  of  Christianity,  in  the  advancement  of  the 
faitli  and  the  salvation  <if  souls,  being  all  the  consolation  your 
lieverence  expects  each  3-ear  from  our  missions,  I  know  not  Ihjw 
to  give  you  greater  joy  than  to  inform  you  of  the  growth  of  this 
church,  in  the  numljcr  of  .souls  i-egenerated  in  the  waters  of  bap- 
tism or  rendered  eternally  hap})y  b}'  a  saintly  death.  If  the  sal- 
vation of  a  single  soul  is  a  source  of  greater  consolation  than  all 
the  most  illustrious  achievements  of  earth,  I  trust  that  sixty-two 
to  whom  I  have  uiveu  the  life  of  srace,  and  thirtv-two  who  have 
gone  to  live  in  glory,  will  give  this  abundant  joy.  The  greater 
part  of  those  who  died  after  bajitism  were  children,  whose  age 
allows  of  no  doubt  concerning  their  happiness.  The  others  were 
adults,  whose  disposition  leads  me  to  believe  that  they  obtained, 
by  their  voluntary  submission  to  grace,  that  wdiich  these  little 
iniiocents  received  as  the  sole  effect  of  the  sacrament. 

Without  stop})ing  to  treat  of  each  i)articular  case,  the  one  that 
has  appeared  to  nie  the  clearest,  is  that  of  a  young  woman  of 
about  twenty-live  years  of  age.  She  was  of  an  admirable  tem- 
per, and  of  such  sweetness  of  disposition,  so  entirely  devoid  of 
the  savage,  that  she  appeared  more  like  one  nurtured  in  France 
than  in  a  country  of  barbarians.  Before  her  ba])tism,  she  was 
frequent  at  prayers,  and  often  leading  at  her  side  her  little 
daughter  four  or  live  years  of  age.  This,  doubtless,  had  its  in- 
lluence  in  disposing  her  the  more  readily  to  receive  the  grace 
of  baptism.  While  still  under  the  impression  of  Christian  truth, 
which  little  by  little  found  its  way  into  her  mind,  she  tell  sick, 
and  in  this  state  I  found  her  on  my  n)und  of  visits  through  the 
town.     She  begged  me  to  liavc  pity  on  her.  and  give  lier  .some 


62 

medicine  that  would  cure  her.  I  gave  her  the  medicine,  and 
improved  tlie  opportunity  to  instruct  her  in  all  our  mysteries, 
and  more  especially  of  Ihe  necessity  of  baptism.  She  appeared 
to  listen  with  pleasure  to  what  I  said  of  the  nature  and  value 
of  the  sacrament.  She  would  readily  have  allowed  me  to  put  a 
little  water  on  lier  head,  if  by  that  means  she  might  be  eternally 
happy,  and  had  I  demanded  nothing  besides,  would  have  been 
quite  disposed  to  receive  baptism.  But,  when  I  added  that  the 
simple  application  of  water  was  not  sufficient  to  obtain  for  us 
eternal  happiness  or  to  exempt  us  from  endless  pains;  that  it  was 
necessary,  besides  to  acknowledge  the  sins  one  had  committed  ;  to 
have  a  true  sense  of  sorrow  on  account  of  them,  and  firmly  re- 
solve never  to  repeat  them — it  was  then  that  her  heart,  wliich 
before  had  hope,  felt  opposition  and  resistance.  She  drew  a  deep 
sigh,  cast  a  glance  of  her  eye  toward  me,  turned  away  and  hid 
her  face,  thus  compelling  me  to  say  no  more  than  she  was  will- 
ing to  hear.  At  this  moment,  a  woman  of  her  cabin  having  en- 
tered to  oppose  my  further  instructions,  I  was  constrained  to  re- 
tire. 

Three  days  passed  away  before  she  would  allow  me  to  visit 
her  for  this  ])uri)ose.  In  the  meanwhile  her  malady  increased, 
and  excited  in  me  tlie  earnestness  necessary  to  her  salvation, 
which  at  length  had  its  effect.  As  all  these  repulses  came  from 
the  opposition  of  her  will  to  an  enlightened  conscience,  the  fre- 
quent visits  I  made  her,  and  the  desire  I  manifested  for  her 
eternal  welfare,  together  with  the  near  approach  of  death,  soft- 
ened her  heart  and  changed  its  opposition  into  love. 

One  morning  as  I  was  visiting  her  for  the  purpose  of  giving 
some  further  remedies,  with  the  ordinary  signs  of  compassion  for 
her,  which  could  avail  but  little,  as  her  end  was  near,  she  begged 
me  to  give  her  all  the  comfort  within  my  power.  This  confi- 
dence on  her  part  gave  me  the  opportunity  to  sj)eak  to  her  again 
of  baptism.  I  found  that  all  her  opposition  had  vanished  ;  and 
whatever  difficulty  she  had  experienced  in  chei'ishing  sorrow  for 
sin,  and  a  hatred  for  the  things  to  which  she  was  attached  by 
inclination  and  habit,  God  had  permitted  it,  only  to  dispose  her 
to  exercise  her  repentance  with  thegreater  efficacy  and  .sincerity, 
and  assurance  of  her  salvation.     Indeed,  when  I  came  to  speak 


68 

to  her  the  second  time  of  the  necessity  that  she  should  abhor 
her  sins  which  I  indicated,  and  asked  her  if  she  did  not  detest 
them,  as  God  would  have  her,  to  the  end  that  they  might  be 
washed  away  in  baptism,  I  saw  that  her  whole  demeanor  was 
changed,  and  the  pain  I  felt  on  her  first  refusal  to  repent  was 
recompensed  by  the  greater  joy.  She  joined  her  heart  and 
tor.gue  to  this  word  of  penitence ;  she  i)ronounced  it ;  she  re- 
peated it  to  herself  many  times  with  an  inexpressible  tenderness 
which  penetrated  the  depths  of  my  soul,  and  all  that  I  can  say 
is,  that  one  must  have  heard  it  to  understand  it.  After  this,  1 
no  longer  doiibted  that  she  was  of  the  number  of  the  elect. 

I  baptized  her  after  a  suitable  prayer,  in  which  she  followed 
me,  including  all  the  acts  api)ro[)riate  to  prepare  her.  When 
she  saw  that  I  drew  near  to  baptize  her,  she  presented  her 
head  to  receive  the  water  with  such  a  modest  expression  of 
countenance,  that  the  work  of  grace  was  visibly  manifest.  I  re 
mained  after  ba{)tism  no  longer  than  was  needful  to  give  her  the 
assurance  of  eternal  felicity,  and  have  her  repeat  a  few  prayers ; 
and  shortly  after  I  had  retired,  she  rendered  her  soul  to  Him 
who  had  sanctified  it." 

Father  de  Carheil  had  now  been  three  years  among  the  Cayugas, 
when  he  was  obliged  from  brokeij  health,  to  relinciuish  his  labors 
for  a  year,  during  which  his  place  was  supplied  by  Father  Peter 
Eaffeix.  Eatfeix  was  chaplain  of  the  French  Expedition  against 
the  Mohawks  ni  16G6,  and,  at  the  time  of  his  taking  the  Cavuga 
Mission,  was  laboring  among  the  Senecas,  with  vvlion)  he  re- 
sumed his  work,  on  the  rerarn  of  de  Carheil,  and  continued 
among  them  until  1680.  His  familiarity  with  the  several  can- 
tons of  the  Iroquois  gives  interest  to  the  comparison  he  here 
makes  between  the  Cayugas  and  the  other  four  nations  of  the 
confederacy. 

The  letter  bears  date  June  2-lth,  1672."     He  writes: 

Cayuga  is  the  most  beautiful  country  I  have  seeii  in  America. 
It  is  situated  in  latitude  42 1-,  and  the  needle  dips  scarcely  more 
than  ten  degrees.  It  lies  between  two  lakes,  and  is  no  more 
than  four  leagues  wide,  with  almost  continuous  })lain3,  bordered 
by  fine  foi-ests. 


1  Relation  1671-2,  Chap.  VI,  Part  1. 


.  "«f|".7;fTV'^T^    •''" 


64 

Agiiie  (Mohawk)  is  a  valley  very  eoutracted ;  for  the  most 
part  8tony,  and  always  covered  with  fogs;  tiie  hills  that  enclose 
it  appear  to  me  very  bad  land. 

Oneida  and  Onondaga  appear  too  rough  and  little  adapted  to 
the  chase,  as  well  as  Seneca.  More  than  a  thousand  deer  are 
killed  every  year  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cayuga. 

Fishing  for  both  the  salmon  and  the  eel,  and  for  other  sorts 
of  lish,  is  as  abundant  as  at  Onondaga.  Four  leagues  distant 
from  here,  on  the  briidv  of  the  river  (Seneca),  I  have  seen,  with- 
in a  small  space,  eight  or  ten  fine  salt  fountains.  It  is  there 
that  numbers  of  nets  ai'e  spread  for  pigeons,  and  from  seven  to 
eight  hundred  are  often  caught  at  a  single  stroke  of  the  net. 
Lake  Tiohero  (Cavuga),  one  of  the  two  adjacent  to  the  viUage,  is 
full  fourteen  leagues  long  by  one  or  two  wide.  It  abounds  with 
swan'  and  geese  through  the  winter;  and  in  the  spring,  nothing- 
is  seen  but  continual  clouds  of  all  sorts  of  game.  The  river 
Ochoueguen  (Oswego)  which  rises  in  this  lake  soon  branches 
into  several  cliannels,  surrounded  by  prairies,  with  here  and  there 
fine  and  attractive  bays  of  sufficient  extent  for  the  preservation 
of  hnntiriiif. 

I  tind  the  people  of  Cayuga  more  tractable  and  less  haught}'' 
than  the  Onondagas  or  Oncidas^  and  had  God  humiliated  them, 
as  have  been  the  Mohawks,  I  think  that  the  Faith  would  have 
been  more  readily  established  among  them  than  with  any  other 
of  the  nations  of  the  Iroquois.  They  count  more  than  three 
hundred  warriors  and  a  prodigious  swarm  of  little  children. 

As  to  the  spiritual,  and  that  which  appertains  to  the  Mission, 
I  hardly  know  what  to  say.  God  having  withdrawn  frotn  it, 
first.  Father  Menard  at  the  connnencement  of  his  successful  la- 
l)ors.  and  since  tlien.  nearly  a  year  ago,  Father  de  Carheil,  after 
he  had  mastered  the  language  and  favorably  disposed  the  hearts 
of  thi'se  barbarians  toward  their  salvation,  [  cannot  think  that 
the  hour  of  their  conversion  has  yet  arrived.  In  oi'der  to  re- 
move a  ])rejudice  to  Christianity,  created  among  our  eatechn- 
meiis  and  neo])hites  by  some  slaves,  captives  from  the  Xeuter 


1  Now  accidental  or  very  rare.  A  siiiL'le  siiecimen  of  the  ti-uinpeter  swnii  (Cygnu8  Biicci- 
naton  taken  on  Cayuga  Lake,  is  now  in  the  rooms  of  tin;  Pluvnix  SportsmiMrs  Club  of  Sen- 
eca Falls,  N.  Y.—Jiini'<  of  Ceittral  Xtw  I'ork,  by  Frank  K.  Rathbun.  Aubnrn,  IHTii. 


lil- 


65 

Nation,  and  some  reueg'adc  Ilurons,  1  have  introduced  the  diant 
of  the  Chureh  with  an  arrangement  of  the  several  prayers  and 
liymns.  in  their  hinguage.  jiei'tainiiig  tt)  the  chief  mysteries  (>f  our 
faitli.  It  was  on  the  tirst  (hiy  of  the  year  tiiat  wo  presented  for 
a  New  Year's  olfering  to  our  Lord,  songs  of  ])raise.  wliich  wo 
liave  since  continued  witli  ])rolit,  and  niucii  to  the  satisfaction 
of  our  savages. 

L  am  occu]>ii'(l  the  most  of  each  (hiy  in  visiting  the  sick,  to 
giv<'  them  the  |»ro)>er  instruction,  in  orih'i'  that  thev  may  not  (Wo 
witliout  receiving  l>a])tism.'  (lod  did  not  ]iermit  me  to  succeed 
with  the  lii'st  one  wliom  1  visited  on  my  arrival  here,  and  who 
died  soon  after.  I  went  to  see  him  many  times  and  connnenet'd 
with  the  neces.^ary  coiir.se  of  in.struetion.  l\nt  his  niotlu'r  would 
not  ])ermit  it.  One  day.  as  I  remaine(l  with  the  sick  pei'soii  a 
longei'  time  than  suited  liei'  mind,  she  seized  a  stick  to  drive  me 
out.  and  hci'  daughter,  at  the  same  time,  threw  a  large  stone, 
which,  however,  failed  to  hit  lav.  I  seizeil  evei'v  opportunity 
to  make  an  imi)ressiou.  I  .'*poke  in  different  interviews  to  this 
wretched  mother,  beseeching'  her  to  have  pity  on  her  son.  But 
she  remained  in11exil)k^  to  the  kist.  Thus  this  poor  young  man 
died  without  ljaj)tisni.  at  least  the  actual  administration.  It 
seems  as  if  the  cur.se  of  Clod  rested  upon  this  cabin — the  same 
in  which  Fatlier  (k'  Carheil  had  keen  treated  with  still  greater 
indignity  than  myself,  and  foi-  a  kke  reason. 

Some  time  after  this  allliction,  which  greatly  grieved  me,  it 
pk\ased  God  to  console  me  by  the  conversion  of  a  ])ris()ner  of 
war,  a  young'  man  from  twenty  to  twenty-two  years  of  age.  I 
have  never  found  a  .ravage  more  docile.  They  chojiped  off  the 
half  of  one  kand.  and  tore  out  his  Iniger  nails,  while  a  crowd  of 
people  surrounded  kim  on  all  sides,  and  demanded  that  ke 
skould  sing  to  them.  In  the  intervals  in  which  they  allow^'d 
him  to  take  breath,  I  seized  the  occasion  to  instruct  him.  It 
ap})eared  in  the  midst  of  all  this  torture  that  he  retained  the 
presence  of  mind  to  ai)])reeiate  the  Christian  truth  that  I  taught 


'  Tlio  lift'  (if  tho  Josuit  nii-i«i()iiiii\v  wns  simpk'  and  uniforni,  Tlio  earlicsf  hours  from  four 
to  tight  were  occupied  in  private  ilevotions.  Tlie  day  was  fi;iveii  to  visitiiiij  tlic  sicVc.  iu- 
stnictinj;  tlie  catecliiiiueiiv,  and  n  .■»ervic"  for  proselytes.  It  is  said  of  Brebeuf  that  sonietiines 
he  would  walk  tln'ou!.'h  a  Hurou  \illai;e  and  its  environs,  invitini;  tlie  braves  and  principal 
ones  to  a  conference,  when  ho  would  discuss  with  them  the    deeper  mysteries  of  '.lie  Faith 


6& 

him.  At  last,  I  was  so  well  satistied  tliat  I  baptized  liim.  This 
gave  liim  such  jov  that  he  publicly  thanked  me,  even  singing  of 
the  love  I  had  shown  him,' 

I  count  thirtv,  both  children  and  adults,  to  whom  God  has 
given  the  same  grace,  since  the  depai'ture  of  Father  de  Carheil. 
I  trust  that  this  troop  of  little  innocents  will  move  God  at  last, 
bv  the  ])rayers  they  make  to  him,  to  hasten  the  time  for  the 
conversion  of  these  barbarians,  which  as  yet  does  not  seem  to 
be  near.  To  believe  that  an  entire  nation  is  to  be  converted  at 
once,  and  to  expect  to  make  Christians  by  the  hundreds  and 
thousands  in  this  country,  is  to  deceive  one's  self.  Canada  is 
not  a  land  of  flovve'-s ;  to  lind  one,  you  must  walk  far  among 
brambles  and  thorns.  Persons  of  exalted  virtue  find  here 
enough  to  call  out  their  zeal.  Tiie  less  worthy,  like  my- 
self, are  happy  in  finding  themselves  com])elled  to  suffer  much, 
to  be  without  consolation  save  in  God  alone,  nnd  to  labor  inces- 
santly foi'  ]iersonal  sanetification.  I  sincerely  beg  your  Rev- 
erence, to  retain  me  in. this  blessed  service  all  my  life,  and  to  be 
assured  that  this  is  the  greatest  favor  that  can  be  conferred  upon 
me.  I  will  add  a  word  (says  the  Father)  to  give  you  some  ac- 
count of  our  petty  waix 

Tiie  day  of  Ascension,  twenty  Senecas  and  forty  of  our  young 
braves,  went  from  this  town  to  make  an  attack  u})on  the  An- 


'  Brebeuf  describes  the  torture  of  sin  Iroijuoifi  prisoner  taken  by  the  Hurons  in  1()37.  with 
eight  others  while  tishing  in  the  Iroquois  Lake.  All  but  this  one  made  their  escape.  On  the 
way  to  the  cabins  of  his  conquerors,  the  hands  of  the  prisoner  were  crushed  between  stones, 
his  tingers  torn  off,  his  arms  scorched  and  gashed  to  the  bone,  while  he  himself  preserved  his 
tranquillity  and  sang  the  songs  of  his  nation.  At  one  village  after  another,  festivals  were 
given  in  his  name,  at  which  they  compelled  him  to  sing.  A  young  maiden  was  given  him  as 
a  coni])«nion  of  his  last  loves.  The  old  chief  who  might  have  adopted  him  in  place  of  a  fall- 
en nephew  chose  rather  to  gratify  his  revenge,  and  doomed  him  to  death.  "That  is  well," 
was  the  captive's  reply.  The  sister  of  the  slain  wiirrior,  in  whose  place  it  had  been  pro- 
posed to  receive  him,  still  treated  him  with  the  tenderness  dne  to  a  brother,  offering  hina 
food,  and  serving  him  with  every  token  of  affection.  The  father  caressed  him  as  though  he 
had  become  his  kinsman,  gave  him  a  pipe  and  wiped  the  thick  drops  of  sweat  from  his  face. 
This  last  entertainment  given  at  the  charge  of  the  bereaved  chief  began  at  noon.  To  the 
crowd  of  guests,  he  declared  :  "My  brothers,  I  am  going  to  die.  Make  merry  around  me 
with  good  heart.  1  am  a  man.  I  fear  neither  death  nor  your  torments  ;"'  and  then  sang 
aloud.  The  feast  being  ended  he  was  conducted  to  the  ciibin  of  blood.  They  place  him  on 
a  mat  and  bind  his  hands.  He  then  rises  to  his  feet  and  dances  around  the  cabin  chanting 
his  death  song.  At  eight  in  the  evening  eleven  tires  had  been  kindled  and  these  are  hedged 
in  by  files  of  spectators.  A  war  chief  now  strips  the  prisoner,  assigns  their  oiMce  to  tlie  tor- 
mentors and  exhorts  them  to  do  their  work  faithfully.  Then  ensued  a  scene  most  horrible, 
lasting  until  sunrise,  when  the  wretched  victim  was  carried  out  of  the  village  and  hacked  to 
pieces.— /Wr/f'/o/*,  \m7,  Chap.  II,  109-119. 


(57 

(lastes,  whose  eouiitrv  is  four  days'  joiinicv  from  here.  The 
Seiiecas,  who  formed  u  band  by  themselves,  tlie  others  liavino- 
l)reviously  gone  by  water,  were  attacked  by  a  partv  of  sixty 
young  An(histes,  from  fifteen  to  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  i)ut  to 
flight  with  a  loss  of  two  of  their  men — one  killed  on  the  spot 
and  the  other  carried  away  i)risoner.  The  youthful  victors, 
learning  that  the  band  of  the  Cayugas  had  gone  by  water,'  im- 
mediately took  to  their  canoes  in  hot  jjursuit,  and  oyertakini'- 
them  beat  them  in  the  hght.  Eight  of  the  Cayugas  were  slain 
in  their  canoes,  and  fifteen  or  sixteen  wounded  by  arrows  and 
knives  or  half  killed  by  strokes  of  the  hatchet.  The  field  of 
battle  was  left  with  the  Andastes,  with  a  loss,  it  is  said,  of  fif- 
teen or  sixteen  of  their  nnml)er.  God  preserves  the  Andastes 
who  have  barely  three  hundred  men  of  war.  He  favors  their 
arms  to  humble  the  Iroquois,  and  preserve  to  us  peace  and  our 
missions.* 


'  Via  Cayuga  Lake  and  the  Susquehannah  river. 

■!  Every  success  of  n  war  party  was  a  loss  to  the  Fiiith  ami  every  reverse  was  a  gain.  Mean- 
while a  more  repulsive  or  a  more  critical  existence  than  that  of  Jesuit  Father  in  an  Iro- 
quois town  is  scarcely  conceivable.  The  torture  of  prisoners  turned  into  a  horrible  festivi- 
ty for  the  whole  tribe  ;  foul  and  crazy  orgies  in  whicli  as  the  priest  thought,  the  powers 
of  darkness  took  special  delight ;  drunken  riots  the  work  of  Dutch  brandy,  when  he  was 
forced  to  seek  refuge  from  death  in  his  chapel— a  sanctuary  which  superstitious  fear  with- 
held  the  Indians  from  violating ;  these  and  a  thousand  disgusts  and  miseries  Hlled  the 
record  of  his  days  and  he  bore  them  all  in  patience.— 6*^  Htijime  in  Canada,  317-318. 


VII. 


1  lit'P''  is  necessarily  some  repetition  in  these  animal  narratives 
III'  tlie  work  of  the  missionary  whose  lilV'  was  a  simple  roninl  of 
the  same  dntii's  with  snhstantially  the  same  ohstaeles  to  sneeess, 
and  the  ever  impendinii'  pei'il  of  death  at  the  will  and  e\-en  whim 
of  the  savaf>e.  Hnt  this  \'ery  monotony  of  duties  and  danji'er 
only  serves  to  exalt  the  devotion  and  ('oura<i"e  of  the  inissioiiavv, 
while  there  is  suilieient  vai-iety  of  Ii,u'lit  and  shadt^  in  his  ex]»ei'i- 
eni-es  to  <>ive  vividness  and  uMvat  interest  to  the  whole  picture. 

After  writing  the  lett(>i'  just  given,  Katliei'  RaU'eix  ])roeeede(l 
to  the  Seneca  country  to  assist  Father  Garnier  ;  and  Father  de 
Carheil,  after  a  yt'ars  res])ite,  returned  to  the  mission  with  re- 
stored health.  The  record  is  that  "finding  human  skill  una- 
vailing, he  made  a  ])ilgrimage  to  the  shrine  of  St.  Anne'  and  ol)- 
tained  deliverance  from  the  nervous  distmler  which  afllieted 
him."  He  resumed  liis  labors  at  Cayuga  with  eharaoteristie  zeal, 
aud  in  the  face  of  increasing  o})positiou  as  ap})ears  from  the  fol- 
lowing letter  contained  in  Belaiion  l()72-3*  Chap.  VI. 

"  The  number  of  l)a])tized  this  year  is  hfty-tive.  of  whom  eleven 
are  adults,  the  rest  are  children,  of  whom  thirteen  received  bap- 
tism in  the  cha})el  with  the  ceremonies,  the  others  without  cere- 
monies. I  had  not  yet  until  this  year  been  able  to  baptizie  any 
one  exee})t  secretly,  and  without  any  one  being  cognizant  of  it 
exce})t  those  from  whom  I  could  not  conceal  it,  wdien  necessity 
and  an  evident  danger  of  death  obliged  nie  to  ju'epare  them  for 


'  St.  Anne,  about  twonty  niilos  below  Q,iiebec,  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  in  the  idaco  here  re- 
ferred to.  Parknian  found  the  oUl  chai)el  still  utandinj;  in  1878,  but  about  to  bo  rei)liiced  by 
a  new  and  much  larger  one  in  course  of  erection.  It  \#  said  that  thirteen  Canadian  jiar- 
ishes  bear  the  name  of  St.  Anne,  but  of  all  her  shiines,  none  have  the  fame  or  receive  the 
devotion  which  attach  to  this,  nestled  under  the  heights  of  the  Petite  Ca]). 

i  Jii-UiHon  ('e  (/tit  i)''e'<f  patiiie  '/<'  jiliiM  reinni'i/iKiMt'  iiii.v  .Ifinxioim  d-s  Ptna  ih-  hi  Coinimgnie  ile 
.ftsiif  (-11  la  Xoiirdle  Fmncf  <•<  uiiiuea  WTi  ft  1073.  Par  It-  Her.  Pi-re  Cldinh'  Dahhm,  New  York, 
1^61.  This  UiUttlnn  was  printed  by  Dr.  Shea,  from  an  unpublished  niiinuscript  :  also  tliellc- 
laticms  for  1073-16; 9,  from  which  extracts  have  been  translated  by  him  for  the  i)resent  work. 


'  -"V-"*  (•)"',    "MKT/7^TT,'.""*  r«^W"l-.J.iF-i'-'«W"7,'n     .'* 


(ii) 

this  sacraiiuMit  1)\'  a  previous  iiistnictioii  with  which  f  t'oiild  not 
tlis|n'iis('.  on  iiccount  of  their  too  ii(l\ance(l  aiie.  I  was  eoni- 
])elle(l  to  act  in  this  manner  to  a\()i<l  the  eahinuiies  whicli  hell 
raised  up  a,iiaiiist  nie  and  aiiainst  l)aptisni,  hy  the  uni\'ersal  iileu 
which  he  had  imprinted  on  all  minds  that  this  lirst  and  most 
necessary  of  all  sueramonts  had  not  the  atl\anta<^\'ous  ell'ects 
which  I  declared  to  them:  l)Ut  others  (piite  contrai'y,  which  1 
eonccalcij  in  order  \n  hi'iiiL;'  them  to  it  more  easily,  and  of  which 
tho  chief  two  which  spran;^'  from  it  as  their  source,  were  a  speedy 
death  and  an  <'ternal  capti\ity.  after  death,  under  the  don:i  nation 
of  the  Krciich.  .\s  the  ra<:e  of  llii'  demons  coidd  in\ent  notliin,^' 
more  conti'ary  to  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  my  di'ar  mission 
than  this  thouiiht.  therefore  I  could  hope  to  do  nothiuLi'  for  the 
estal)lishmei)t  and  ailvancement  of  tiie  Faith  except  by  l>anishinu' 
it  from  tlieii'  minds,  oi*  at  least  gradually  diminishinu'  it,  although 
from  all  the  etl'orts  1  had  made  to  this  end  in  previous  years.  I 
coidd  not  see  any  success,  and  this  yeai"  even,  1  could  hope  for  it 
still  K'.ss  than  ordinarily  because  siekne.ss  and  deaths  had  been 
more  fi'e(|uent  than  before,  ^'et  1  do  not  know  how  I'royidenee 
has  acted,  but  it  has  done  me  the  j^'race  (in  sjtite  of  all  the  false 
rumors  whieli  have  been  spread  against  me  more  than  usually)  to 
infuse  into  the  heart  of  some  mothers  disjiositions  whit-h  I  could 
not  expi'et  from  my  endeavors.  'I'here  lia\e  been  thirteen  who 
have  aske(l  me  toi'  their  children  what  they  did  not  yet  wish  To 
ask  for  themselvt's;  they  have  besought  nii'  to  baj)tize  them, 
l>ringiiig  them  to  me  in  the  eha])el.  This  [trayer  et)uld  not  but 
1h!  inlinitt'ly  agreeable  to  me,  as  it  was  a  lirst  stej)  in  elfacing 
from  minds  all  the  false  impressions  against  ba])tism.  to  remo\-e 
the  aversion  towards  it  and  to  ]iro(bice  the  love  and  esteem  for 
it  which  1  desired;  but  as  nothing  shoidil  be  done  ])recipitatel\', 
I  never  granted  on  the  spot  what  tluy  asked  me.  1  lia\e  al- 
wa\'s  put  them  olT  to  some  coming  holida\'.  in  ordei-  b\-  this  de- 
lay to  make  them  coneiMve  a  better  idea  of  what  1  wished  to 
grant  tlaMu  and  which  I  in  fact  granted  on  the  appointed  da\'. 
baptizing  their  childi'en  with  the  c(M"emonies  and  e\en  making 
some  who  were  capable,  answer  the  intcM'rogations  which  are  to  be 
made  therein.  There  are  still  otlun*  mothers  who  solicit  at  mv 
\iands  baptism  for  their  chihhvn,  and  to  whom  [granted  it  in  time, 


70 

having  loaniod  by  exporioiice  that  those  wliosechihlrcn  are  bap- 
tized, have  much  oreator  respeet  for  a  inissionarv,  ami  couHe- 
quently  a  greater  (lisponition  for  tlie  Faith  than  the  othew,  inas- 
iiuR'li  as  they  esteem  themselves  as  it  were  l)ovm<l,  according  to 
wliat  I  told  them,  to  co'ue  and  bring  their  little  ba})tized  ones 
to  the  j)rayer  if  they  are  not  of  an  age  to  come  to  it  themselves 
or  to  receive  them  there  if  they  can  do  so. 

As  for  the  eleven  adults  whom  I  ba})tizcd,  they  are  all  dead, 
inasmuch  as  I  no  longer  baptize  any  except  in  danger  of  imme- 
diate death,  ai)art  from  which  I  Hnd  none  who  are  susceptible  of 
all  the  dispositi(')ns  necessary  to  baptism.  Licenf^c  in  marrying 
and  nnmari-ying  at  their  oi)tion,  the  spirit  of  murder,  and  hu- 
man res])cct  ])revcnt  their  bec(Mning  docile  to  instructions.  Of 
the  children  ]);i])tizcd  eighteen  are  dead,  who,  added  to  the 
adults,  make  in  all  twenty-nine ;  but  I  must  avow  that  what  con- 
soles me  most  during  this  year  was  the  death  of  a  young  war- 
rior of  the  age  of  twentv-iive  yeai-s.  He  was  attacked  by  a  mal- 
ady which,  causing  him  to  langnish  a  considerable  time,  gave 
me  leisure  to  instruct  him  gradually.  He  always  listened  to  me 
without  re[)ulsing  me,  but  also  without  evincing  conviction  from 
what  1  said  to  him,  like  a  })erson  who  wishes  to  examine  and 
determine  for  himself  whether  what  is  told  him  is  reasonable. 
He  remained  in  this  state,  until  seeing  him  fail,  I  deemed  it  my 
duty  to  press  him  the  more,  but  always  in  such  a  way  as  to  con- 
strain him  gently  (by  a  sim])le  representation  of  the  importance 
of  the  truths  which  I  taught  him,  and  conformable  to  his  intel- 
ligence) to  ask  me  for  ba})tism  of  his  own  accord.  He  did  in 
fact  solicit  it,  and  I  ba})tized  him  with  all  the  greater  assurance 
of  his  good  disposition  as  I  have  had  more  time  to  })rei)are  him, 
and  as  I  knew  that  he  had  examined  all  that  I  had  taught  him. 
lie  remained  some  days  after  his  ba})tism  without  his  disease 
seeming  to  increase  notably,  when  I  myself  fell  into  such  a  pros- 
tration of  strength  that  I  was  obliged  to  take  to  my  bed  in  or- 
der to  get  a  little  rest  so  as  to  restore  me.  But  the  very  day  I 
wished  to  do  so,  my  patient,  feeling  himself  nmch  more  oppressed 
than  usual,  and  having  no  dovd)t  but  that  it  was  the  last  day  of 
his  life,  sent  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  beg  me  to  go 
and  visit  him  in  his  cabin.     I  went  there  at  once,  when  he  de- 


71 

clarod  U)  iiie  that  lie  was  conscious  that  he  was  near  death  and 
entreated  me  to  do  all  F  knew  to  be  necessarv  for  his  eternal 
hapitiness  in  heaven,  as  he  had  a  stron<^  ho})e  of  attainini;  it 
tliron<ih  my  instrumentality. 

I  was  ravished  at  his  disj)i)sition.  and  ac'e(»rdinjf  to  his  desire 
befian  to  rej)eat  to  him  summarily  our  principal  mysteries  and 
t(»  make  him  exercise  ui)on  each  of  them  acts  of  faith  in  the 
form  of  ))i-ayer,  after  which  T  ([iiestioned  him  as  to  what  he 
mi;zht  have  eonnnitted  sir.ce  his  baptism  that  mijrht  bedispleas- 
ini;-  to  Grod ;  and  I  warned  him  that  if  he  had  not  conceived  a 
genuine  sorrow  for  the  sins  he  had  eonnnitted  before  ba[)tism 
that  he  should  do  so  now;  otherwise  it  would  be  useless  to  him 
to  have  been  baptized.  He  assured  me  that  before  I  ba})tized 
him,  he  luid  formed  a  true  act  of  sorrow  for  his  sins  and  that  he 
continued  in  this  sorn)W,  both  as  to  them  and  to  those  he  had 
committed  since  baptism.  I  then  gave  hiiu  absolution,  after 
which  he  begged  me  not  to  leave  him  until  he  wa-;  dead,  but  to 
I'cmain  constantly  with  him  and  not  cease  to  l)ray  or  to  make 
him  pray,  as  I  did  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  he  died.  During  all  that  time,  if 
I  wished  to  breathe  a  little  for  a  few  moments'  relaxation,  he 
would  innnediately  warn  me  to  begin  again,  and  consoled  me 
inlinitely  by  this  eagerness  which  could  proceed  only  from  the 
Holy  Ghost  who,  in  spite  of  his  disease,  attracted  him  power- 
fully to  the  prayers  which  I  recited  aloud  and  in  his  name,  be- 
cause he  could  no  longer  do  this  himself.  From  time  to  time 
he  rallied  his  strength  to  ask  me  about  Heaven,  in  order  that  1 
might  confirm  him  in  the  hoi)e  of  going  thither,  and  that  I 
might  increase  the  consolation  which  he  derived  therefrom. 
Towards  the  end  he  had  moments  of  such  intense  pain  that  it 
made  him  burst  out  into  words  of  im})atience,  which  I  stopped 
immediately  by  telling  him  that  this  impatience  disjdeased  God, 
and  that  he  ought  to  bear  the  sufferings  he  ex])erienced  in  order 
to  satisfy  for  his  })ast  sins.  He  accpuesced  readily ;  he  conceived 
sorrow  for  his  outbursts,  and  I  gave  him  absolution,  after  which 
he  remained  calm  until  death,  without  showing  the  least  sign  of 
im])atience,  however  great  the  pain  caused  by  his  disease.  I 
closed  his  eyes;  and  I  could  not  refrain  from  endn'acing  and 


Lai  VLW 


72 

kissin;!''  him  when  I  s;i\v  he  \v;is  dead.  si>  ;.'i'rat  was  tlir  ji>v  1  f't'lt, 
and  the  assiii';iiic(' tlwit  lie  would  prav  canifstlv  U>y  iiic  liiforc 
li(»(l,  accoi'diiiL:'  to  tlic  |iroiiiis('  wliicli  lie  had  made  iiic" 

III  ('ha|).  \'.  Sec.  'J  of  /i'r/afion  KIT.'!-'*.'  Fatli<'r  Dahlou  (jii«.tt',-t 
the  accoiiiit  of  tlu' coiiNci'sioii  and  dt-atli  of  this  \'oniiLi'  warrior 
I'l'oni  the  ahovc  U'ttcr  of  Carhcil  as  a  rcinarl\al)l('  ilhistratioii  of 
tiic  power  tliat  tlic  I'^aith  oiicc  (•Hil)iM"i'd  has  o\('r  thi'  convcrtctl 
sava;ic.  "The  iioiif  of  I'arailisc,'"  he  writes.  "  Liiscs  the  lro(|Uois 
eon\  I'l'ts  ineoiiiparahle  eoiiraLic.  and  oiiee  tlii'\  ha\e  cinliraecd 
the  Christian  reliLi'ioii  in  earnest,  tliey  iiold  fast  to  it  eoiiraLic- 
(tnsly  in  \iew  of  I'aradise,  and  in  the  hojic  of  tlie  eternal  happi- 
iiess  whieh  Faith  promises  us."" 

The  followiii;i'  extracts  from  the  //(/a/io/is  //in/ilc-^'-'  (■<)]i\\\\\\r 
the  historv  of  the  mission  for  the  years  lUT'l  ami  l(i74. 

•'Althou<iii  the  iiumliernf  l)aptisins  lias  heen.  thisyear.  less  in 
this  mission  than  the  |»reee(hn^;' years,  the  Kaitli  has  not  l"aile<l 
to  make  there  more  solid  pro^^'ress  than  in  the  past.  i'"or  while 
it  was  hut  the  ohjeet  of  contempt  and  even  of  liatre(l  on  the 
})art  of  the  Indians,  it  has  heiiuii  to  l)e  esteemeil  and  soujiht  l»v 
the  majority.  There  have  lieeii  indeed  only  twenty-two  chil- 
dren haptixed;  hut  all  except  three  or  four  have  heeii  hapti/ed 
at  the  re([uest  of  tlieir  parents.  This  cirenmstaiiee  will  appear 
important  if  reflection  is  made  on  what  has  been  several  times 
noted,  vi/, :  the  h'ar  wdiieh  all  the  Indians  are  under  wdio  have 
Hot  emhraced  the  Faith,  lest  their  eliildrt'ii  should  he  lia]itixe(l, 
imi)rossed  as  they  are  with  the  idea  that  baptism  will  cause  their 
death.  But  it  will  ajipeai-  still  more  important  if  the  ^licniiis  of 
these  barbarous  tribes  is  known,  their  scanty  eiili<iiitenmeiit 
makin.u'  them  more  suscejttible  of  such  fears  and  less  eaj)able  of 
getting"  rid  of  them.  Moreover  experience  seems  to  aid  in  coii- 
iirmiii<i'  them  in  this  opinion,  because  in  this  heathen  country 
this  sacrament  of  Faith  is  li'Inimi  only  to  those  among  the  chil- 
dren who  appear  to  be  at  the  point  of  death,  ami  becaii   _'  in  fact 


1  liildlioii  lie  cr  (/"i  i'  (-"t  IIIIS.SI-  ifix p/ii.<  ntiiiD'/iKilili-  (Di.v  iii'i>!.--i<ii)n  f/(.-i  P( )■(■■■<  i/i-  la  Cimijiuf/niff 
(Ic  ./<-Kiii  (11  lit  Sditrdle  Fmiicnx  ainiKf  Vu'^it  1679  l'(ir  /<•  Ihr.  I'l-ie  Ctanilc  Ikibloii,  New  Vork, 
181)0.— (Slu-a's  edition.) 

■  JiiMioiix  Iitnlifn<  lit  III  Ximrelli-  Fraiii\-  i  l(iTi-lt(T9)  jxnir/iihi-  xiiili-  an,)'  anneniKu  IMalion-t 
(1015  ItiTd)  aiec  deux  catUi  Oi-or/rajitiii/iiix  Paris  IWil.— Vol.  I.  2(i(M:*,  II,  41-4-1. 


i8 


iiliiiost  all  to  wlidiii  it  is  trivi'ii  (lie  incvitaldy  tlicrt'iiftt'i*.  Ilciieo 
it  collies  tliiit  tli(!  alVcctioii  tlicv  liiivc  for  tlicir  cliildrt'ii,  which 
iiiiioiiiits  to  11  kind  of  follv,  lias  always  iiuliiccd  them  to  use  all 
their  efforts  to  pri'veiit  their  receiviii.L''  this  firace.  As  for  the 
adults,  the  live  who  were  l)a|»tized  all  die<l  after  baptism,  'riireo 
were  Aiidastes  taken  in  war:  Father  <le  ( 'arheil  had  time  to  in- 
struct them  hel'orc  they  were  Ituriied.  Many  tif  the  same  coun- 
try who  had  cscajied  after  some  months  cajitiNity.  had  tohl  them 
of  the  charity  that  the  niacl\'-;/'owns  had  for  them  as  well  as  foi* 
the  Iro(iuois.  They  had  related  the  acts  of  kindness  whi<'h 
the  l''atliers  had  doiu'  them  and  the  pains  they  took  to  assist 
them  in  all  ima^iiiaMe  ways.  This  re[iort  hail  disposed  them 
toil  much  lii'eater  docility  than  had  hitherto  been  maiiifeste(|  liv 
the  other  ca]itives.  There  was  excii  one  who  thanked  the 
Father  in  his  death  chant  for  the  scr\ices  lie  had  rendered  him, 
sayiii,L;'  that  he  knew  well  that  he  lo\-ed  them,  and  that  the 
French  nation  was  not  of  the  numher  of  their  enemies." 

'I'he  Reidluni  Kmo,  (vol.  ii.  [».  41-4,)  introduces  the  narrati\e 
for  the  year  with  the  statement:  "Father  de  Carheil  is  not  so 
happy  amoiiu:  the  fourth  nation,  which  is  that  of  the  OiotiotuMis, 
They  lia\'e  Ikvour' so  haughty  and  so  insolent  that  they  have 
maltreated  him  ([uite  rudely,  when  they  were  in  a  state  of  in- 
toxication, they  have  even  thrown  down  a  jiart  of  the  chajx'l. 
But  these  insults  do  not  niakt'  him  lose  eourajxe,  and  as  a  re- 
ward (rod  has  «4'iven  him  the  consolation  to  have  sent  tweiitv- 
one  ehihlren  to  heaven  this  year,  and  probably  eleven  adults, 
dead  after  baptism,  though  it  has  not  been  without  limiting- 
many  battles." 

Thus  does  he  desci'ibe  the  dillicultv  he  had  to  baiiti/ea  vouii"" 
woman,  by  which  other  cases  may  be  jud,ut'(I.  She  yiehled,  he 
says,  only  at  tlie  last  niomcMit,  and  I  won  her  only  by  patience, 
bv  gentleness  and  by  constancy  in  hoping  for  what  all  the  re- 
pulses I  suffered  had  several  times  all  but  made  nie  despair  of. 
She  readily  permitted  me  to  visit  lier,  and  after  \  had  given  her 
some  niedieines,  she  allowed  me  to  speak  of  every  other  subject 
except  the  eliief  one  which  was  the  salvation  of  lier  soul.  As 
soon  as  T  opened  my  mouth  to  insinuate  a  few  words  concern- 
ing this,  she  flew  into  a  passion  that  w\as  suri)risiug  and  such  as 


74 


J  IkhI  iK'vcr  obscrveil  in  any  Indian.  I  was  c'onijtt'lk'd  to  retire 
instantly  for  I'ear  of  irritating;  her  still  more,  and  rendei'in^L;'  her 
()l»dni'ate  heyond  ivnivdy.  As  liei'  dise'i;'e  was  only  a  languor 
eansed  by  the  worms  which  were  insensibly  devouring'  her,  two 
montiis  ]»as.sed  withont  my  desistin,u'  to  \isit  her  daily,  and  with- 
out hei"  et'asinii'  to  repulse  me  in  tlie  same  manner  and  even  with 
redoubled  rajz'e,  which  at  last  I'orct'd  me  to  pivsent  uiyst'lf  sim- 
ply before  her  without  utterin,Li'  a  word,  "^'et  1  emU'avored  to 
tell  lie)'  with  my  eyiv  and  with  a  countenance  full  of  compassion 
what  1  no  lon,L!'er  dui'st  tell  her  \vitli  my  lips.  And  as  one  day 
she  seeme(l  sliuiitly  toucheil  by  some  little  si'rvices  that  I  was 
rendci'inL;'  Ikm',  by  buildinii'  the  tire,  in  the  forsaken  condition  in 
which  I  saw  her,  no  one  any  loiiLici'  carin^u'  for  her.  \  thou<:'ht 
that  she  would  sull'er  me  to  s[H'ak  to  her  of  what  1  solely  de- 
sired for  her  and  what  .she  had  always  repulsed  with  hoi'i'oi".  in 
fact,  she  let  nu'  apj)roacli  her,  iuid  li,<teue(l  to  me  tor  a  consider- 
;iblc  time  without  llyinu'  into  her  accustomed  passion,  but  yet 
with  agitations  of  body  diat  disclosed  the  stare  of  hei'  mind,  in 
which  t>race  and  nature  were  in  conlliet.  1  was  beuinninu'  to 
cherish  some  sliiiiit  hope,  when  tuiMiin^si'  in  fury  upon  uie  she 
seized  my  face  with  all  the  ener^iiy  of  which  she  was  capable, 
and  she  would  assuredly  have  wounded  nu'  seriously  had  hei' 
.strength  e([ualled  her  rage,  but  she  was  too  weak  to  do  me  the 
injury  she  desired.  Her  weakness  caused  me  to  </\ye  up  my 
face  to  her,  while  1  continued  my  instruction  tellin,u  her  that  the 
interest  1  felt  in  her  soul  obliucd  me,  do  what  she  wouM,  not  to 
leave  her.  1  was  howt'ver  compelled  to  lea\'e  her  this  time  also, 
with  till'  thought  of  ri>turnin,L!'  to  her  no  more.  Vet  1  did  not 
fail  to  return  the  next  nu)rnin,<i'  rather  to  see  whether  she  was 
deail  than  to  s])eak  to  hei\  1  found  her  in  extremis,  yet  without 
lia\"inu'  lo.-;t  consciousness.  "  Well,"  I  said  to  lu>r,  "you  ha\e 
but  a  moment  to  li\e,  why  will  you  lose  yom- sold  forever,  when 
Volt  can  still  save  it?"  These  few  wonls  softened  her  lieai't, 
which  so  many  others  had  failed  to  shake.  Slie  leaneil  over 
t(:\,ards  me,  she  mad-  the  jirayer  which  I  suji'g'ested  to  her, 
iniuced  sorrow  for  her  past  sins,  asked  baptism  to  efface  them 
and  received  it  to  be  conlirnuMl  in  u'race  by  the  death  which 
(inickl V  iMisued. 


to 

r  li;i\('  I(';ini('(l  ]>y  tlic  cNjiiiiiilc  of  tins  sick  woiiiaii  lliat  I 
sliditld  iievt'i' abandon  any  one.  whatever  jvsistanoc  lie  may  of- 
fer, so  '.Miu'  as  there  is  left  a  remnant  of  life  and  reason,  and 
that  my  ho])e  and  my  laljors  should  ha\'e  no  limit,  sa\'e  that 
whieli  (lod  sets  to  Ilis  merey.'" 

in  Cha]).  \.  Section  \ii.  of  Rehition  1()73  this  case  is  cited  as 
an  illustration  of  the  (jualities  of  a  faithful  missionary,  as  that 
of  the  youuii'  warrior  already  i|Uoted  in  this  chapter,  as  proof 
of  the  virtue  and  ('onstancy  of  the  Indian  con\erts.  The  Iro- 
((iiois  missionaries,  it  says.  ae(|uire  especially  two.  which  are 
vci'y  >iiiL:ularly  theirs.  The  first  is  a  holy  addrt'ss  to  seize  dili- 
,aently  and  prolit  hy  e\cry  occasion,  so  as  to  allow  no  sick  ])ei'- 
son  or  child  to  die  without  haptisni.  The  other  is  a  heroic  pa- 
tit'uce  to  suH'cr  everything',  and  he  repulse(l  hy  nothing',  wdion 
the  salvation  of  a  soul  is  at  stake,  ne\'er  losing  hope,  whatever 
theopposition,  hut  await  the  time  of  grace. 

In  lii4alioiis  Inediies.  \'ol.  11.  p.  11.  ])al)lon  in  a  letter  to  the 
l'i'o\incial  Fatlu'i'  i'inette.  wi'ites:  "Further  on  we  lind  the 
town  o{  Oiogouin  whci'C  Father  <le  Carlu'il  resides.  This  holv 
man  is  of  an  a])ostolic  Z(>al  which  does  not  liiid  that  the  Indians 
correspond  to  his  care:  hut  I  thiidc  that  he  asks  fi'om  them  too 
much  virtue  for  beginnings.  If  he  does  not  sanctify  as  manv 
of  them  as  he  would,  it  is  c'crtain  that  he  sauctiiies  himself  in  a 
good  degree  as  do  l''athers  (Jarnier  and  RaU'eix  in  the  towns  of 
the  Sonnt>'.touans."  (Seneeas). 

All  that  I'cmaius  to  be  gatluM'e(l  from  the  JicIa(io7i.s  concern- 
ing the  Cayuga  ^[i.«<sion  may  be  h)und  in  the  brief  noticis  con- 
tained in  tlie  present  nund)i'r,  and  in  connection  with  the  gen- 
eral historv  of  the  lro([uuis  !^^issions.  Thus  in  Rdtdion  lOTli-T' 
jirinted  by  James  Lenox,  Es(|..  of  New  York,  from  the  original 
mannsci'ipt.  we  ha\e  the  following: 

'•'1'Ih'  n[>[ier  Inxpiois.  that  is  to  say  those  that  ari' most  I'cniote 
from  us.  as  the  Somiontouans  ainl  the  Oioguen-;  are  the  mt  >t 
haughty  and  the  most  insolent,  running  after  thi'  missionaries 
with  ax(>  in  hand,  chasing  and  pelting  thei  i  witi    .tones,  tlirow- 


'  Ilrliiliiiii  ilf  ci-  (/III  •>■'(  >'^  /)H'ii  ili<  itliie  mntniiiiihli-  aii.r  nii>"'ioii-i  ilix  /'<;■<•,<  tli-  la  Compaf/nie 
(ie  Jisiis,  I II  hi  Xiiiii'i//i-  Fraiici  i  <  itniitut  UiTli  <  /  lOti'. 


iiig  down  tlioir  chapels  and  their  little  cabins,  and  in  a  tiiousand 
other  ways  treating  them  with  indi<rnity. 

The  Fathers  sufl'er  all  and  are  ready  for  all,  hn»)\vin,u'  well 
that  the  Apostles  did  not  i)lant  the  faith  in  the  world  othei'wise 
than  hy  persecution  ami  sulVerinji'.  What  consoles  them  in  the 
l)itial)le  state  they  are  in.  is  to  st'c  the  fruit  whicli  (iod  derives 
for  ]Tis  fi'lory  and  for  the  sahation  of  these  wvy  Indiaus  hy 
whom  they  are  so  maltreated.  For  within  a  year  since  these 
violences  have  heti'un.  tluy  lia\e  l)a])ti/('il  more  than  three  hun- 
(h'eil  and  tifty  lro((uois.  of  whom,  besides  twenty-se\'en  achdts. 
there  wei'c  one  hundreil  and  sevent\'  '•liiidi'eii  who  died  after 
baptism,  which  is  a  eei'tain  Liain  foi-  hea\-en.  I  cannot  exti'art 
anythinii' else  from  Fathei"  de  Cai'heil.  Pierron.  Hatfeix  and  (iar- 
nier  who  are  amonii'  the  upper  lro([Uois.  because  their  greatest 
em})loynient  is  to  suiTer  and.  so  to  speak,  die  at  cNciy  mouient 
by  the  continual  threats  and  the  insults  which  these  Indians  of- 
fer them,  who,  uotwithstanding  all  this,  fail  not  to  wrest  many 
.><ouls  from  the  devil.  Fathei-  de  Carheil  wi'ites  from  Oioguen 
that  the  spiritual  gain  of  this  \-ear  is  thii"t\'-eight  bapti/e(l,  six  of 
them  ach'.lts  and  thirty-six  dead,  all  children  except  thrrr." 

The  uotice  of  the  mission  in  IHTT-S  is  still  briefei',  but  of 
the  same  general  tone:  "  Fatlier  de  Carheil  who  has  experienced 
most  severely  the  etfects  of  Inxpiois  fury,  and  who  h)r  the  last 
two  years  is  ever  in  a  })roximate  danger  of  death,  has  not  failed 
to  administer  at  Oiogouin  baptism  to  lifty  jh'I'sous,  and  to  seed 
to  heaven  more  than  forty  childrt'U  who  have  died  with  ))a]i- 
tismal  grace." — Relations  Jnec/ifes  11,  197. 

In  chap.  V.  sec.  viii  of  IMations  IGTH-P,  (Shea's  edition)  Da- 
blou  thus  sums  up  the  condition  of  tlu>  several  missions: 

"By  all  that  we  have  n^late*].  it  may  be  judged  that  the  Iro- 
rpiois  missions  render  great  gioi'v  to  (Jod  and  contril)Ute  largely 
to  the  salvation  of  so\ds.  This  encourages  the  missionaries 
ami<l  the  evident  danger  of  death  in  which  they  have  lived  con- 
stantly h)i'  three'vears  that  the  Inxjnois  speak  of  making  war 
on  us:  so  that  tluy  have  not  been  willing  to  leave  their  mis- 
sions, although  they  were  urged  t)y  their  friemls,  who  warned 
them  of  the  evil  designs  formed  against  their  jtersons.  '^JMiey 
accordingly  ])ersevere  in   laboi-ing  for  the  conversion  of  these 


I  t 


peoples,  and  wo  leai'ii  tliat  (nxl  has  i-ewardecl  tlieii"  eoiistaiiev  liy 
a  little  calm  \vliieli  He  o-jves  them,  and  by  more  than  three 
hiindi'ed  l)a]itisms  wliieh  they  liave  conferred  tiiis  hist  year,  to 
whieli  1  aild  that  tlie  proeediii_u'  year  they  liad  baptized  three 
iiundred  and  lil'ty  Iroquois.  The  year  hefore,  Fatiier  (Jar- 
nier  had  baptized  lit'ty-li\-e  in  one  of  tiie  towns  ot:  the  Sonnon- 
toitaiis:  Fathei"  (h' Carlieil  as  many  at  ( )io,L;'ouen  ;  l^'ather  Miiet 
t'oi'ty-tive  at  Oneioiit  (()nei(hi):  Father  -lames  de  .Land)erville, 
nii>i'e  than  thirty  at  o)ie  of  ilic  towns  of  .Vu'iiie  (^lohawk).  and 
Father  Biaiyas  in  another  (M,L;hty :  Father  dohn  de  Land»ei'\'ille 
se\'enty-two  at  ()nnon1a,i:e.  and  Fatlier  I'iei'i'on  ninety  at  Sou- 
nontonan.  It  is  estimated  that  they  have  plaeecl  in  lieaven 
more  than  two  hniKb'ed  souls  of  ehildivn  and  siek  adults,  all 
dead  after  bai)tism."" 

'I'he  Mission  at  (/ayiiLia  for  the  remaining!'  brief  ])erioil  of  its 
<'ontinuane(>  was  unmai'ked  ]\y  any  striking'  event.  tii(>  ol)Stinate 
and  liauji'hty  spirit  of  tli(>  jieople  being  the  same,  until  about  the 
vear  l(>8-t.  when  Father  de  CarluMl  wdio  for  sixteen  vears  had 
labored  so  faithfully  for  their  Li'opd.  was  plundered  of  everv 
thinu"  and  (li'iven  IVoiii  the  eouiitrv  bv  Oreliaoue'  and  Sarenuoa 


'  Till' siiiiio  iiti'rruil  to  in  note  pnso  •"'■  Fiitlier  Jdlin  de  LmnbtTvillu  of  Onon(lnj.'ii,  in  ;i 
letter  to  M.  de  la  I'urre,  Feb.  10,  1()>'4.  \vl■ite^' ;  ■' The  mnii  iiinned  Orehaoiie  of  eayii<;ii, 
told  nie  also  he  intended  to  vImjI  yon  at  Montreal.  It  is  he  who  niiule  Father  de  Carheil  to 
withdraw  from  Cayuga  and  who  treacherously  l)roujj;ht  t!ie  six  Tionnontates  there,  lie  is  e.\- 
eeedin^ly  i)rond.  Sorreinm  and  ho  are  the  two  <rreatest  chiefs  in  Cayiiira.  It  is  this  Oreliaoue 
that  tlie  Knirlish  of  Albany  made  use  to  prevent  .  enn  purchasin;,'  land  of  the  Andastes.  who 
were  conquered  by  the  Iroquois  and  the  Knglish  of  Maryland.  I  believe  he  will  be  better 
pleased  with  you  than  with  the  English  after  he  shall  have  had  the  honor  of  an  interview 
witli  you.  I  told  him  that  if  he  should  wish  to  see  Father  d  '  C'arheil  you  would  send  for 
him  to  come  to  Montreal.  He  has  iireat  inlluence  amonji  the  Cayu^as  and  has  conceived  a 
profound  esteem  for  you  a*  a  irrcat  Cajitain,  which  he  also  i)i(|ues  himself  to  be.  Your  dex- 
terity aii<l  experience  in  winnini;  over  all  these  various  characters,  will  attach  him  to  you,  I 
believe,  most  intimately,  and  he  will  be  convinced  that  Onontio  of  Canada  is  <iuite  a  dill'er- 
ent  thimr  from  the  Buriromastersof  Uran^'c,  ( Albany i  whose  civilities  in  his  rc^'ard  are  the 
never  endiui;  snl)ject  of  his  praise."  (eol.  Hist.  N.  V.,  IX,  2i7. )  M.  de  la  Barre»as  soon  suc- 
ceeded by  M.  Denonville  as  (iovernor  General,  who.  in  li)S7,  under  the  jxaise  of  jjeace  and 
friendsldp  attracted  to  (Janneoiit.  some  ten  leaj;nes  above  Fort  Frontenac.  a  number  of  Iro- 
(luoi".  and  some  forty  Cay niras  were  seized  as  prisoners,  amonir  whom  was  Orehaoue,  and  sent 
to  France.  iC'ol.  Hist.  N.  V..  IX.  171.)  I5ut  in  ItiS!).  Orehaoue  and  his  companions  were  re- 
leased from  their  caiitiviiy  by  the  KiuL'  on  learidm;  of  the  circumstances  of  their  seizure,  and 
they  arrived  at  (Quebec.  Oct.  1-Jth  of  that  year  with  Count  Frontenac.  who  had  been  re-ap- 
pointed (iovernor  of  Canada.  The  kind  treatment  received  at  the  hands  of  the  Count  on  the 
voyni-'e  attached  Orehaoue  very  stron<rly  to  him  and  served  irroatly  to  conciliate  him  toward 
the  French.  At  his  own  sMi.'L.'cstlon  and  witli  the  approval  of  Frontenac.  a  commission  con- 
"isliiiLr  of  four  Indians  of  the  ri'lunu'  1  captives  and  (iaunieiiiiloii.was  sent  to  Onondai,'a  with 
the  news  of  Orehaoue's  return,  invitiii''  his  tribe  to  come  and  wekiune  their  father  the  tiov- 


_^ 


nr 


<8 

the  two  head  c-liiefs  at  tlio  tinu;  of  tlio  Cayutia  canton.  This  was 
(lou])tless  due  to  English  intrigiu".  In  16SH,  Col.  ^JMioma.s  Don- 
gan.  ;j(>vt'rnor  of  Now  York  liad  so  far  sncoeedod  in  destroying 
the  influenee  of  the  Freneli  with  the  Iro([nois  tliat,  tliongh  liini- 
self  a  CatliorK'.  he  dirceted  all  his  t'll'orts  to  exju'l  the  Canadian 
missionaries;  and  to  ins]»ire  the  Indians  with  eonlidenec.  lie 
])roinised  to  send  them  Knglish  .lesuits  instead,  and  bnihl  them 
ehurehes  in  their  cantons.  As  a  rcsnlt  the  Oneida  and  Seneca 
missions  were  hroken  ^\\)  a  year  liefore  the  expulsion  of  Father 
de  Carheii  from  Cayuga.  Father  .lolin  Lamhei-NiUi!  was  tiie 
last  to  leave  his  post,  at  Onondaga,  where  his  hfe  was  ]Hit  in 
})eril,  owing  to  the  alleged  treachery  on  the  jiai't  of  tlie  Krencli 
in  seizing  a  nundu'r  of  Iroijuois  as  [O'isoncrs  and  taking  them 
to  Fort  Catarocoui. 

In  concluding  the  history  of  the  mission  at  Cayuga,  so  long 
the  scene  of  tlu'  labors  of  Father  di-  Carheii.  a  sketch  of  this  ae- 
eomplished  and  intr(>})i(l  missionai-y  is  herewith  a])})ended.  lie 
came  from  France  to  t^uehec  in  lli.M!  and  was  immediately  sent 
to  the  liui'ons  among  whom  he  ac([uirc(l  great  inlluence.  and 
wh' gave  him  the  name  of  ^Voudechete.      In    l()(i7,  he  acci>m- 


criior,  whom  they  had  so  loii;^  miset'd,  and  thank  him  for  liis  jroodness  in  icstoiing  to  tliom 
a  chief  whom  the}'  had  supposed  irrocovei-alily  lost.  The  deputation  hrought  haciv  word  ex- 
])ressiny;  tlie  great  joy  felt  l)y  the  Five  Nations  at  tlie  return  of  Oreliaouc  wliom  they  still  re- 
garded as  cliief  of  their  country,  htit  dciiianding  his  iironipt  return  to  them  and  that  he  lie 
accompanied  liy  a  messenger  and  all  who  had  been  his  compiiuions  in  captivity,  when  furth- 
er consull>nlion  would  he  had  in  the  matter.  It  was  also  di'Mumded  that  full  rei)aration  be 
made  for  the  treacherous  seizure  of  the  prisoners  ;u  (innneout.  before  any  further  negotia- 
tions could  be  had.  Frontenac  wiis  greiitly  mortitied  at  this  turn  of  aflfairs,  and  for  the  time 
was  disposed  to  blame  Orehaoue  as  either  iusensibh^  to  the  kindness  shown  him  or  us  want- 
ing in  inlluence  with  his  nation.  The  great  war  chief  himself  wa.s  cliagrined  as  he  felt  the 
justice  of  the  rebuke  ;  but  without  evincing  the  least  ainioyance,  counselled  Fronteiuic  to 
remember  that  rni  his  return  from  France  he  had  found  the  cantons  bound  by  an  alliance 
with  the  Kiiglisli  iiiid  so  embittered  against  the  French,  w  hose  treachery  had  driven  them  to 
contract  this  idlianco,  that  it  became  necessary  to  trust  to  time  and  circumstances  for  a 
more  favorable  disposition  ;  that  for  his  own  part  he  could  reproach  himself  with  nothing  ; 
that  his  refusal  to  return  to  hi?<  own  canton  where  he  was  passionately  desired  should  banish 
every  susi)icion  of  hislidelity  ;  and  if,  notwithstandini;  so  unmistakable  a  token  of  hisiittach- 
ment  to  the  French,  they  were  so  unjust  as  to  entertain  any  such  suspicions  he  would  soon 
dispel  them.  Orehaoue  renounced  his  own  jieople  and  becaiiu'  Hrinly  attiiched  to  the  cause  of 
the  French.  He  was  active  in  hostile  operations  against  the  Irocpiois,  mid  such  was  his  valor 
that  the  other  tribes  demanded  him  for  their  chief,  lie  died  at  C^uebec,  in  l(i08,  from  an  at- 
tack of  pleurisy,  after  a  brief  illness,  greatly  lamented  as  ■•  a  worthy  Frenchman  iind  a  good 
Christian  ;"  and  ns  a  mark  of  distinction  for  his  fidelity  and  eminent  service  was  buried  with 
ecclesiastical  and  military  honors.— See  Ci}t.  llUt.  X.  Y.,  IX,  4(i4,  524,  liSl  ;  also  Shea's  Clutr- 
ItiuLv,  IV,  l.'Jl,  203,  212,  24ii. 


to 

ce 

to 

ir  a 


79 

])nnie(l  Ganicontic,  tlic  Oiionda;:';!  cliicf,  tVoiii  Qncljec  ami  tin* 
t'<)llo\viii<r  year  was  assigned  to  Cayuga.  After  his  expulsion 
from  tins  eaiiton.  lie  was  trausferre''  to  the  Ottawa  mission  and 
was  stationed  at  ^[ieliilmakinae.  lie  stood  in  the  vei'v  front 
raidc  of  the  flesnit  Fathers  of  his  time,  and  wa-;  distinguislu'd 
alik'e  for  his  scholarly  attainments  and  his  saintly  de\dtion. 
He  died  at  (Quebec  in  [72(i  at  an  advanced  age. 

Charle\'oix.  the  historian  of  Xew  Fran<'e.  pays  this  tondiing 
tribute  to  his  charactei- : 

"  I  left  this  missionary  at  (^uehee  in  1721,  i)i  the  pi'ime  of  liis 
\igor  and  a[)ostolic  zeal  :  yet  how  clearly  had  his  life  illustrtited 
the  truth,  that  men  the  most  holy  and  most  estimable  for  their 
])ersonal  (pialities  are  bnt  instruments  in  the  hands  of  (rod.  with 
wlioni  lie  can  as  easily  disi)cns(^  as  with  His  most  unprotitiible 
ser\'ants.  He  had  sacriliced  noble  talents  through  whieii  lie 
might  have  attaineil  high  honors  in  his  profession,  and  looking 
forward  only  to  the  niai"tyr  fate  of  many  of  liis  bivthrt'ii.  who 
had  bedewed  Canada  with  thcii'  blood,  he  had,  against  the  wish- 
es and  lai'ger  designs  of  his  Su[)eriors,  obtained  this  mission 
who.^e  obscui'ity  thus  placed  him  far  without  the  eircK*  of  am- 
bitious strife,  and  V'ould  pivsent  to  him  naught  but  the  li:ird- 
ships  of  the  Cross.  Here  h(,^  had  labored  persislenlly  for  more 
than  sixty  years,  and  couhl  speak  tlu'  language  of  the  lluroiis 
and  the  Irotjuois  with  as  much  facility  ami  elegance  as  his  na- 
tive tongue.  The  French  ami  th((  Indians  alike  regarded  him 
as  a  saint  and  a  genius  of  the  highest  order.  ^'(M  with  all  these 
aecomplishments,  his  conversions  were  very  few.  He  hntnili- 
ated  himself  before  God,  and  this  niortilieatioii  of  pi'ide  sei'\  cd 
more  and  more  to  sanctify  his  life.  He  often  deehired  to  me. 
that  he  adored  these  uianifest  designs  of  I'ro\idenee  towai'il 
him,  ]>ersuade(l  as  he  was,  that  the  liomn's  and  success  he  miiilit 
have  attained  \i[)on  a  more  l)i'illiant  arena  would  lia\-e  ivsulted 
in  the  loss  of  his  soul ;  and  that  this  tlaaight  was  his  unfailing 
consolation  amid  the  sterile  residts  of  his  long  and  toilsome 
apostt)late. 

'' I  have  deemed  it  my  duty  to  ivcord  this  liright  example, 
that  those  now  entering  upon  the  calling  of  an  evangelist  may 
under.staud""that  no  vears  and  no  toils  can   Ijc  lost,  if  through 


.  ■  .~7"     ,    HTT^*  'y  ■   ■ 


80 

tlR'iii  all  tliev  attain  saiiitliiicss  of  cliai-actcr;  that  the  coiivcr- 
j^ion  (if  souls  is  alone  the  work  of  ^racc:  tliat  no  natural  talent, 
iior  even  the  snl)liniest  virtues,  i-an  havi'  any  ]»()\v»>i-  to  melt  hard 
hearts,  except  as  (iod  liiniself  may  ^liive  them  (jlUeicney :  and 
that  amid  all  their  fiMiitless  toils,  they  should  i'V(M-  remember, 
that  those  ministerin<i-  anji'cls  wlio  draw  from  the  xvry  l)osoni  of 
Divinity  the  heavenly  tire,  a  sin,<ile  spai'k  of  which  would  suffice 
to  draw  the  whole  world  to  the  endd-ace  of  tlu^  Divine  Love, 
and  to  whom  tlie  ,!j,uardianshii)  of  nations,  as  of  individuals,  is 
conuuitted — even  those  holy  an.u'els  often  are  left  to  nioiii-n  ovei' 
the  Mindness  of  uid)eli(;vers  and  the  ohduracy  of  their  sinful 
hearts."' 

A  similar  estimate  of  his  g'enius  and  devotion  is  to  be  found 
in  the  h'ehdiom  I iiediks  Vol.  11,  3()7-!'.  which  is  as  follows: 

■•Although  Father  de  Carheil  wrote  nothing,  at  least  nothing 
of  his  has  reached  us,  he  studieil  thoroughly  the  languages  of 
thos(>  countries,  and  is  cited  ))y  many  writers  as  constituting  an 
authority  in  such  matters. 

'•This  Father  enjoyed  in  France  the  re})utation  of  an  excel- 
lent litterateur:  he  ]night  have  taken  his  place  beside  the  \\\- 
vasseurs,  the  Conunires,  the  Jouvaneys,  the  de  la  Hues,  but  he 
sighed  only  for  the  i)ainful  missions  of  New  France.  The  rec- 
tor of  the  college  of  Agamies,  wdicre  he  taught  humanities,  oj)- 
posed  the  (lei)arture  of  the  young  profes.sor;  and  there  exists  in 
the  archives  of  the  (lesu  at  Home,  a  letter  from  the  Father  Gen- 
eral of  tlie  Jesuits,  which  authorized  the  Provincial  of  the  Prov- 
ince of  France  to  leave  Father  de  Carheil  still  at  the  college  of 
A^annes,  but  without  this  leadhig  to  any  result,  and  without  in- 
ducing us  to  believe  that  distinguished  talents  were  a  motive 
for  excluding  one  from  the  foreign  missions.  It  was  ])robably 
to  enter  into  the  views  of  his  (Jeneral  that  the  Father  Pi-ovin- 
cial  according  to  the  ])ious  desires  of  the  young  religious,  per- 
mitted him  the  following  year  to  set  out  for  Canada. 

"There  F'ather  de  Carheil  accpiired  universal  esteem,  as  much 
bv  his  vii'tues  asbv  his  rare  talents.  Hut  it  is  a  remarkable  thing 
that  this  zealous  missio)iary  who  had  receive(l  as  his  portion  the 


1  HisMrc  (l(-  la  Nonvclk  Fraii-c,  J'arix,  ItlJ.     Toiii'  Pninh'r,  403-404. 


.SI 


iimst  prt'cious  jiil'ts  of  iiiiturc  ;iiiil  L:r!i<H',  never  |»r()(liiee(l  <j:yri\t 
fruit  iiiiioiiLi' 1  lie  Iiidiiiiis.  "  So  iriie  is  it."  siivs  l^'iitlier  Cliiii'le- 
\oix  oil  this  ))oiiit.  "tlmt  tlie  eoii(|uest  of  smils  is  solely  llie 
\V()i"k  of  ,u'raee:  tliiit  not  only  ii;itnr;il  t;ileiits  Imt  excii  tlie  most 
snldinie  virtues.  ;ire  eHieiieioiis  in  toueliiii,u'  hearts  only  so  f;ir  as 
(iod  hiniself  may  f.>i\e  tiu'iii  etlieieiiey."  Vet  we  must  not  think 
that  the  zealous  laliors  of  >';ither  de  (,'arheil  wei'e  entirely  fruit- 
less, 'i'rulv  ajiostolic  hhmi  always  do  i^'ood  in  souls,  at  h^ast  an 
interior  u'ood.  ;iiid  wliieh  (io(l  ;iloiie  knows.  Alori 'over  the  rep- 
utatioii  which  l""ather  de  Carheil  en  joyed  ainoiij:'  I'Veiidi  and  In- 
dians, ••who."  savs  ('liarle\()ix  aiiaiii,  ••a,L;ree<l  in  reiianliiiL;'  him 
as  a  saint  and  a  u'eiiiiis  of  the  lirst  order."  and  the  perfect 
k'liowledizc  of  the  lan,i:'ua<ii's  which  he  ])ossessed  Li'axe  him  au- 
thority o\-i'r  eiiltixated  minds.  Thus  the  famous  Huron.  The 
Eat,  that  extraordinary  man  who  eomhined  all  the  most  emi- 
nent (jualities,  had  a  sinjiular  esti'em  for  Fatlier  de  C'arheil,  who 
liad  won  him  to  (fod  and  Christianity.  '•  At  lii'st  The  Hat  used 
to  say  that  lie  knew  only  two  men  of  mind  amoii^i;'  the  i'Vench, 
Count  de  Kroiiteiiae  and  Father  (1(>  Carhoil.  It  is  ti^ue  that  he 
knew  othi'rs  in  the  se([uel  to  whom  hi'  i^endi'i'ed  tlii'  same  jus- 
tice." 

CharleNoix    makes    freijuent  refereuee  to  this   distin^^uished 

Huron,  and  vouches  for  the  ji'eueral  opinion  that  no  Indian  had 
evei'  ])o.s.sessed  greater  merit,  a  finer  miiu'  moi-e  valor,  i)nidenee, 
or  discernment  in  understandini>'thos  h  whom  he  had  to  deal. 
His  measures  were  always  found  wi.se.  he  was  nevi'r  without 

resource,  hence  he  always  succeeded,  ile  was  as  famous  for  his 
ehiqueipce  as  for  his  wis(h>m  ainl  valor.  He  never  opened  his 
lips  in  council  without  ajiplause  even  from  tho.se  w  ho  (hsliked 
him.  lie  -was  not  le.ss  brilliant  in  conversation  in  ])rivate.  an<l 
they  often  took  })leasure  in  provoking'  him  to  hear  his  rej)artees. 
always  animated,  full  of  wit.  and  generally  unan.swerable.  lu 
this  he  was  th(»  only  ni;m  in  Canada  who  was  a  match  for  the 
Count  de  Frontenac  who  often  invited  him  to  his  table  to  give 
his  ollicers  this  ))leasure. 

It  was  niidouhted'y.  contiiuies  Charlevoix,  his  estiHMii  for 
Father  de  Carlieil  which  determined  him  to  embrace  Christiani- 
tv,  or  at  least  to  li\e  in  conformitvto  the   maxims  of  the  Gos- 


82 

pel.  This  cstceiii  lu'caiiu'  Ji  rc:il  :itt:icIiiii(Mit  ami  that  n-hijiinus 
nmld  (»l)taiii  aiiythiiiu"  from  him.  lie  was  very  jealous  for  tlic 
^h)rv  Mild  interest  of  his  nation  ami  was  stroniji'ly  eonviiieeil  that 
it  would  hold  its  u'rouml  as  loni^'  a-;  it  remaineil  attaclie(l  to  the 
Christian  relij:'ion.  He  e\-en  |)reaelie(l  (piite  fretjuently  at  .Nfieh- 
ilemakinae,  and  nev<'r  without  frnit. 

His  death  (1701)  caused  a  general  alllietion  and  there  was  no 
one.  I''reneh  or  Indian,  who  ilid  not  show  that  he  felt  it.  His 
funt'ral,  which  took  jdaee  the  next  day.  was  maLiiiiticent  and 
sinu'ular.  ^^.  de  St.  Oiu's,  lirst  captain,  niai'ched  in  front  at  thi; 
head  of  sixty  men  luidei' arms :  sixteen  Huron  l)ra\i'S  attireil  iu 
lonj:'  heaver  ro])es,  theii'  fact-s  blackened,  followed  with  t:uns. 
uiarehinL;'  in  form.  Then  came  the  clerLiy.  with  six  war  chiefs 
earryintz'  the  liier,  coverc(l  with  a  pall  strewed  with  llowci-s,  on 
which  lay  a  chapeau  and  feather,  a,  uor^iict  and  a  sword.  The 
brothers  and  children  of  the  (U'ceaseil  were  liehind  accompanied 
l»v  all  the  chiefs  of  the  nations:  de  N'audreuil.  (lovernor  of  thi^ 
citv,  suppoi'tinu'  Madame  de  Champiiiiiy.  closed  the  procession. 
At  the  end  of  the  ser\ice  there  were  two  \dlleys  of  musketr\', 
and  a  third  when  the  body  was  committed  to  the  cai'tli.  lie 
was  then  iuti'rred  in  the  Lireat  church  at  .Montreal,  and  on  his 
tomli  this  insci'ii)tion  was  placeil :  Cv  ( i ri'  lk  I^at,  C'iikf  JIi'- 
HOX— Here  lies  The  iiat.  a  iruron  Chief.' 

.Vs  re,L>'ai'ds  the  further  history  of  I'Vench  Missions  amoUL:'  the 
Iroipiois.  it  is  only  necessary  to  adil  that  in  L7<ll,  when  a  sepa- 
rate jieace  was  concluded  lictween  the  l''i\-e  Nations  and  Can- 
ada, several  of  tlie  old  missionaries  left  t^uebec  to  raise  their 
fallen  altars  on  the  lV)rmer  <>'r()und  of  their  labors  and  saci'iticcs. 
But  in  the  continued  stru;.>;uie  between  the  Kn^'lish  and  l''rench 
for  the  dominant  inlluencc.  little  was  accomplished,  when  liy 
the  treatv  of  Ctrecht.  concluded  in  1712,  Louis  XIV  acknowl- 
edired  the  ri,u'ht  of  Knuland  to  the  whole  Territoi'v  occujiicd  by 
the  Five  Nations  and  thus  completely  closed  their  cantons 
ao-aiust  tlu-  French  Jesuit  Fathers. 


1  The  render  who  would  leiirii  more  of  this  remarkiihle  Indian  is  referred  to  Lt  Jfnnlait'i 
Voyiti/t."  h  lir.  1*1.  191  :  also  Sliea's  Chii-Umix  IV,  12,  14,  5r  ;  V,  liH,  110,  141,  143,  14.vr, 
from  which  the  above  sketcli  has  been  derived. 


Tliv  Siilpitiau  BJissian  ut  Quiut(5  Bai), 


III  the  Rdatloii  foi-  KidS.  iiieiitiou  is  iiiudo  oL"  ;i  colony  of  Cay- 
ugas  who  for  fear  of  tlic  Aiulustes  had  tixed  their  abode  on  the 
north  side  of  Lake  Ontario,  at  the  western  extremity  of  <^uiuti' 
Bay.  Th.e  h^nguage  of  the  Relation  iuiphes  tliat  Jesuit  mission- 
aries liad  hibored  among  them  for  some  two  years  previous,  Uut 
no  statement  is  made  elsewiiere  as  to  the  fact.'  If  they  had  a 
mission  there  in  KJOG,  at  the  partial  conclusion  of  peace  l)etween 
the  French  and  the  Iro([uois,  the  ^Nrohawks  alone  remaining  hos- 
tile, it  was  surrendered  at  the  re-opening  of  the  missions  in  the 
.several  rro(jUois  cantons  in  KiiiS  to  the  Society  of  Sulpitians. 
founded  some  twent}'  years  bel'on;  in  the  parish  of  St.  Sulpiee. 
Paris,  V)y  Jean  Ja(;([ues  Olier,  and  to  which  had  been  transferred 
the  lauded  proprietorship  of  the  island  of  ^[ontreal.  Two  mem- 
bers of  the  order,  Claude  Trouvi.''  and  Francis  de  Salignac  de 
Fenelon.'  who  arrived  at  Montreal  in  June.  1()H7,  were  selected 
for  the  ^Mission  (the  lirst  under  the  ausi)ices  of  the  Sul[)itians 
among  the  Iroquois)  luid  the  following  year  i)roceeded  to  their 
Held  of  laljor  which  they  reached  Oct.  28,  1668. 


'  Shon's  Chiirtii-iiir  Ml,  110.  note. 

-Trouvc  was  of  the  dioci^se  of  Tours,  ami  was  only  a  snli-dcacon  when  he  came  to  Caniiila. 
He  wa;*  ordained  prient  a  fliorf,  time  after  his  arrival  at  Montreal.  In  llilK),  at  the  capture  of 
Port  ]{oyal  by  the  Enirlish  Admiral  I'hibs.  he  was  taken  jjrisoner  with  a  number  of  others, 
and  one  acconiU  says  carried  to  ISosloii.  But  on  the  raisim;  of  the  siege  of  (Quebec,  in  the 
same  year,  byAdmiral  I'hibs,  Tnnive  was  recovered  l)y  the  Kreiidi  in  an  exchaiifje  uf  prison- 
ers.    See  Shea's  C/iar/erou' III,  110,  n.;  IV,  UT,  n.  1.5<i,  187,  n. 

•*  Hennepin,  in  his  Noiivelle  Decouvcrte  16i)i',  p.  14,  says  that  this  .\bl)c  de  I'V-neloii  was  the 
great  archbishop  of  Cambray.  Tliio  error  was  developed  by  Greeidiow,  in  u  pai)er  real  be- 
fore the  N.  V.  Historical  Society  (Troceedin^rs  1844).  The  life  of  the  Canadian  missionary 
has  I)een  clearly  and  well  drawn  by  the  Abbe  \'errean,  in  a  series  of  articles  in  the  Canadian 
.lonrnal  of  Education,  and  by  Mr.  Faillon  in  his  Histoire  de  la  ( 'clonic  Francaise.  Pons  de 
Salii^iiac,  .Mar(piis  de  hi  Mothe  Fenelon,  married  Feb.  20,  Wi9,  Isabelle  d"  Esparsis  de  Liis- 
san,  daughter  of  Marshal  d'  .Vubeterre,  and  had  eleven  children,  among  them  Francis  the 
Canadian  Missionary,  who  was  horn  lti41  ;  entered  the  Seminary  of  St.  Sulpiee  in  October, 
16ti.5,  and  liaving  received  minor  orders,  came  to  Canada  June  27,  1(107.  He  was  ordained 
priest  June  11.  l()t)8.    The  same  year,  as  we  have  seen,  he  began  a  mission  at  (Jninte  Hay. 


84 

A  (:()iitomj»orjiiUM)Us  account  of  tlie  attcmiit  to  Cliristiaiii/c!  the 
|)orti(«n  of  the  Cayii^iiis  who  retiro(l  beyoiKl  Lako  Ontario  is  found 
in  the  Ki!v.  Dnilicr  (U'  Casson's'  Ilistoirc  do  Montreal,  a  woi'k 
which  rcniaine(l  in  manuscript  till  it  was  issiiecl  by  the  Ilistoi'i- 
cai  Society  of  Montreal  in  IsOil,  as  the  fourth  pai't  of  their  Me- 
nioires.  The  portion  devoted  to  the  (.^iiintc'  Mission  l)egins  on 
p.  20i). 

SlMMAin'  OF  TlIK  MISSION  OF  k'KNTK.' 


All  that  we  have  to  say  of  any  itn[)ortanee  on  this  mission  is 
containe(l  in  a  letter  which  has  been  addressed  to  us  by  Mr. 
Trouve,  who  has  always  been  an  e3'e  witness  of  all  that  ])asse(l 
there,  not  having  abandoned  it  from  the  very  be,u'inning.  The 
following  is  a  faithful  I'eport  of  what  he  has  written  nu;: 

Sinet!  you  desire  nie  to  tell  you  scmuithing  in  writing  as  to 
what  has  pa.ssed  in  our  dear  mission  among  the  Iroquois,  I  will 
do  so  very  willingly  in  spite  of  all  the  repugnance  which  I  feel, 
never  having  desired  anything  till  now,  excej)t  that  all  that 
passed  there  should  be  known  only  by  Ilim  to  whose  glory  all 
our  actions  should  tend;  and  this  is  tlie  reason  why  our  gentle- 
men who  have  been  employed  in  this  work  have  always  main- 
tained great  silence.  Hence  it  came  that  the  Abbe  de  Fenelon. 
having  been  (piestioned  one  day  by  Monseigneur  de  Pcstree,  our 
l)ishop,  as  to  wdiat  he  might  insert  in  the  Relation  concerning  the 
Kente  mission,  made  this  rejily  :  "  that  the  greatest  favor  he  could 
do  us,  was  not  to  have  us  s})oken  of." 


Ht;  iil.*<)  founded  an  eHtablifhiiu'iit  at  Gciuilly  for  Indian  children,  to  aid  wliicli  Frontenac  in 
lt)73  trranted  liim  three  small  islands.  In  KiTl,  lie  i)reaehed  the  Kaster  sermon  at  Montreal, 
ami  La  Salle  reported  some  ])assai;e-<  to  Frontenae,  as  i)aintiiig  liim  as  a  tyrant.  The  jtov- 
crnor  went  to  work  with  a  liiLtli  hand.  Fc-nelon  elaiined  all  liis  rights,  but  was  sent  bacli  to 
France  and  died  in  Ititi).  See  Faillou's  Histoire  de  la  Colonie  Francaise  III,  pp.  171,  480. 
Francis  de  Sali^nac  Fenelon.  arehbishoi)  of  Cainbray,  was  the  son  of  Pons  de  Salignac  by 
his  second  wife,  Louisa  de  Cropte,  and  was  born  Auijnst  ti,  Kijl,  and  was,  conse(iuently,  but 
seventeen  when  his  brother  went  to  (^nintc.— Shea's  ChmUri/Lt  III,  KX),  n. 

'  Dollierde  Casson.  born  about  16'.i(),  liad  been  a  captain  in  Turenne's  Cavalry  where  he  dis- 
played a  cnurane  equal  to  his  immense  strenfith  ;  for  he  is  said  to  have  been  able  to  liold  a 
man  seated  on  each  liand  :  Faillon'.s  Histoire  de  la  Colonie  Francaise  HI.  p.  ISI).  lie  came 
to  Canada  about  1(11)5.  In  KiTO  lie  explored  Lake  Ontario.  He  was  Superior  of  the  Siilpitians 
at  Montreal,  till  Kirti,  when  his  lieulth  com])elled  him  to  return  to  France.  On  his  recovery 
lie  resumed  his  office  at  Montreal,  and  died  Sept.  i!,"),  1701.    Shea's  C7iarleioU  III.  ill),  ii. 

'-'  Translated  liy  Dr.  Shea  for  tlie  present  work. 


85 

It  was  in  tlie  year  1()<)8  that  tlicy  gave  us  orders  to  set  out  for 
the  Iroquois ;  and  the  principal  place  for  our  iiHssif)U  was  as- 
signed to  us  at  Keute,  because  tiiat  same  year  several  persons 
from  that  village  had  come  to  Montreal  and  iiad  askcil  us  posi- 
tively to  go  and  instruct  tiiem  in  t\mv  country.  Their  embassy 
was  made  in  tin;  month  of  June,  but  as  we  were  exj>ecting  a  Su- 
perior from  France  that  year,  our  gentlemen  thought  best  (o  beg 
them  to  return,  not  deeming  it  right  to  inidertake  an  aTair  of 
this  inii)ortance  without  awaiting  his  advice,  so  as  to  do  nothiny; 
ill  tlu^  matter,  except  in  conformity  with  his  orders. 

In  the  month  of  September  the  Chief  of  that  village  ivtiuMicd 
jiunctually  at  the  time  assigned  to  him,  in  ordi-r  to  endeavor  to 
obtain  missionaries  and  conduct  them  t(;  his  country.  The 
Abbe  dv'  Quclns  having  by  that  time  arrived  as  Superior  of  this 
communitv,  it  was  referred  to  him,  and  he  very  willinglv  gave 
his  consent  to  this  design,  in  conscfiuence  of  which  we  apjtlied 
to  the  Bishop  who  sup[)orted  us  by  his  formal  act.  As  to  the 
Governor  and  Intendant  of  thisxountry  we  had  no  dillicnltv  in 
obtaining  their  consent,  inasmuch  as  they  lia<l  from  tliu  lirst 
lixed  upon  us  for  this  enterprise.  These  absolutely  necessary 
steps  having  been  taken,  we  set  out  without  delay,  because  we 
were  already  far  advanced  in  the  Autumn.  At  last  we  em- 
l)arkcd  at  La  Chine  for  Kente  on  the  2d  of  October,  accompanied 
l»y  two  Indians  of  the  village  to  which  we  were  going.  After 
having  already  made  some  advance  on  our  way  and  overcome 
the  dinicuhies  which  are  between  Lake  St.  Louis  and  Lake  St. 
Francis,  which  consist  in  some  carrying  places  and  dragging 
places  for  canoes,  we  perceived  smoke  in  one  of  the  bays  on 
Lake  St.  Francis.  Our  Iroquois  at  first  thought  it  was  their 
own  people  who  were  on  that  lake.  Lender  this  belief  they  made 
for  the  fire,  but  we  were  greatly  surprised,  for  we  found  two 
poor  Indian  women,  utterly  emaciated,  who  were  on  their  way 
to  the  French  settlements  in  order  to  escape  from  the  slavery  in 
which  they  had  been  for  several  years.  It  was  forty  days  since 
they  left  the  Onneiou  village  where  they  harl  been  slaves.  Dur- 
ing all  that  time  they  had  lived  only  on  s<jme  squirrels  killed 
by  a  boy  ten  or  twelve  years  old  with  some  arrows  which  these 
poor  forsaken   women   hatl  made  for  him.     On  our  arrival   we 


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86 

made  tliein  a  present  of  some  biscuits  wliicli  they  at  once  tlircw 
into  a  little  water  to  soften  and  to  be  able  the  sooner  to  a[>iH'ase 
tlieii'  hunj^er.  Tlunr  canoe  was  so  small  that  tln'v  could  scarce- 
ly  sit  in  it  witiiout  upsetting  it.  Our  two  Indians  consulted  to- 
gether what  was  to  be  done.  They  resolved  to  take  these  two 
l)oor  victims  and  the  boy  with  them  to  their  village,  and  as  the 
women  feared  they  would  be  burned,  as  that  is  the  usual  piui- 
ishment  for  fugitive  slaves  among  the  Indians,  they  began  to 
show  their  grief;  then  I  endeavored  to  speak  to  the  Indians  and 
induce  them  to  let  these  women  uio,  as  thcv  would  soon  be 
among  the  French.  I  told  them  that  if  they  took  these  W(jmen, 
the  Governor  on  being  informed  of  it,  would  l)e  convinced  that 
there  was  no  sure  ground  for  peace,  inasmuch  as  one  of  the  ar- 
ticles of  peace  was  that  prisoners  should  be  given  up.  All  these 
threats  had  no  ett'ect  on  their  minds.  They  gave  us  as  a  reason 
that  the  life  of  these  women  was  im[)ortant.  that  if  the  Indians 
of  the  village  from  which  they  had  escaped,  should  happen  to 
meet  them  they  would  tomahawk  them  at  once. 

Then  we  advanced  for  four  days  through  the  most  diflicult 
rai)ids  that  there  are  on  this  route.  After  that  one  of  our  In- 
dians who  carried  a  little  keg  of  brandy  to  his  country,  di'ank 
some,  and  so  much  that  he  got  drunk,  for  they  (h)  not  drink 
otherwise  or  with  any  other  object  unless  some  one  prevents 
them  by  force.  Now  as  these  [jcop.le  are  tcTrible  in  their  intoxi- 
cation, tlu;  prisoners  thought  it  was  all  over  with  them,  because 
Indians  usmilly  get  drunk  to  commit  their  evil  deeds.  This  Iro- 
(|Uois  having  pa.ssed  into  this  excess,  entered  into  a  fui'ious  and 
unai)proachable  state,  and  tlien  he  began  to  pursue  one  of  these 
women.  She,  in  her  alarm,  lle<l  into  the  wood.s,  [)referring  to 
die  by  starvation  I'athcr  than  by  the  hatchet  of  her  enemy.  The 
next  day  this  brutal  fellow,  surprised  at  the  escape  of  his  prey, 
went  to  look  for  lier  in  the  woods,  but  in  vain.  At  last,  seeing 
that  time  ])res.sed  for  us  to  reach  his  village,  and  that  we  had  al- 
ready had  some  snow,  he  resolved  to  leave  her  in  thatplac(!  with 
her  child,  and  in  (^rdcr  to  make  her  die  of  hunger  there,  they 
wished  to  break  their  little  canoe,  becau.se  that  place  was  an 
island  in  the  midst  of  the  river  SL  Lawrence;  nevertheless  by 
dint  of  prayej*s,  they  at  our  instance  left  her  this  .sole  means  of 


safety.  After  our  (le]iarturo,  whoii  the  Indian  woman  was  some- 
what reassured,  she  eaine  out  of  her  hiding  phiee  and  then  thid- 
ing  her  eanoe  wliieh  we  had  niade  thctn  leave  for  her,  she  eni- 
harUed  in  it  with  her  little  boy,  and  safely  reached  Montreal,  the 
ancient  asylum  of  the  uidiajipy  fugitives.  As  for  ourselves, 
having  taken  the  other  Indian  woman  live  or  six  days  above 
that  island,  without  her  ever  being  able  to  obtain  her  lilH'rty.  at 
last  meeting  some  IIun)ns  who  were  going  to  trade  at  Montreal, 
our  Indians  redectetl  on  what  I  had  said  that  Mr.  de  Ccjureelle, 
for  whom  they  had  an  extraordinary  fear,  would  take  ill  their 
conduct,  when  he  came  to  know  it.  This  rellection  induce<l  them 
to  deliver  uj)  the  other  women  into  the  hands  of  these  Ilurons  to 
take  her  back  to  Montreal,  which  they  did  faithfully,  as  we  as- 
certained the  year  after,  when  we  learned  what  had  happened  to 
the  other  poor  woman  and  her  little  boy. 

By  dint  of  padilling  we  ari'ived  at  last  at  Keute  on  thi'  feast 
day  of  St  tSimoti  and  St.  Jude.  We  should  have  reached  it 
the  eve,  but  for  our  encountering  .some  Indians,  who,  delighted 
to  hear  that  we  were  going  to  Rente  to  reside  there,  made  us  a 
present  of  half  a  moose.  Moreover  the  same  afternoon  after 
meeting  these  men  who  hatl  made  us  this  present,  being  very 
near  the  cabins,  we  perceived  in  the  middle  of  a  beautiful  river 
which  we  had  entered  that  day  to  shorten  our  route,  an  animal 
called  here  Scononton,  and  in  France  called  Chcvrcuil  (deer), 
which  gave  us  the  pleasure  of  a  very  agreeable  hunt,  especially 
on  account  of  its  beauty  and  grace  which  much  excel  what  we 
see  in  those  of  France.  Its  taste  also  is  better  and  surpasses  all 
the  veni.sons  of  New  France. 

Having  arrived  at  Kenti'  wc  were  regaled  there  as  well  as  it 
was  possible  by  the  Indians  of  the  })lace.  It  is  true  that  the 
feast  consisted  only  of  some  citrouilles  (squashes)  friea.sseed  with 
grease  and  ,  which  we  found  good:  they  are  indeed  excel- 
lent in  this  country  and  (iannot  enter  into  comparison  with  those 
c>f  Europe.  It  may  even  be  .said  that  it  is  wronging  them  to 
give  them  the  name  of  citrouilles.  Tlu'v  are  of  a  very  great  va- 
riety of  shapes  and  scarcely  one  has  any  resemblance  to  those  in 
France.  There  are  some  so  hard  as  to  reqnire  a  hatchet  if  you 
wish  to  split  them  open  before  cooking.     AH  have  ditlercnt  names. 


88 

One  poor  man  liaving  nothing  to  give  us,  wtus  all  day  long 
fisliing  in  order  to  catch  something  for  us,  and  having  taken  only 
a  little  j)ickerel  presented  it  to  us,  utterly  discomlited  and  con- 
fused to  have  only  that  to  give  ns.  There  is  nothing  more  cap- 
able of  mortifying  an  Iroc^uois  than  to  have  a  stranger  arrive  in 
his  country  when  he  has  nothing  to  oll'er  him  :  they  are  very 
hospitable  and  very  often  go  to  invite  those  who  arrive  in  their 
nation  to  come  and  lodge  with  them.  It  is  true  that  since  they 
fretpient  the  Europeans,  they  begin  to  act  in  a  different  maimer: 
but  seeing  that  the  English  and  Dutch  sell  everything  to  them, 
if  it  is  only  an  ai)ple,  they  like  them  less  than  the  French  who 
usually  make  them  a  present  of  bread  or  other  little  things,  when 
they  I'ome  to  our  houses. 

Xo  one  could  be  received  in  a  more  friendly  way  than  we 
were  by  these  savages.  Every  one  did  what  he  could,  even  to 
a  good  old  woman,  who  for  a  great  treat  threw  a  little  salt  in 
a  sagamite  or  boiled  Indian  corn  she  was  preparing  for  us. 

After  having  breathed  a  little  the  air  of  this  country,  Mr.  de 
F('ueli)n  and  I  delibcratetl  what  we  should  do  on  the  subject  of 
religion.  We  agreed  to  apply  on  this  [toint  to  the  chief  of  the 
village  called  Rohiario,  who  had  obliged  us  to  go  t»^  his  country. 
In  consequence  of  which  we  went  to  say  to  h.im  that  he  was  per- 
fectly aware  that  he  had  come  to  seek  us  in  order  to  instruct 
them,  that  we  had  come  only  for  that  purpose,  that  he  ought  to 
begin  to  aid  us  in  this  design,  that  he  should  notify  every  one  in 
his  village  to  send  his  children  to  our  cabin  in  order  to  be  in- 
structed. This  having  succeeded  as  we  had  desired,  sometime 
after  wt;  begged  this  same  Indian  to  hud  it  go(xl  and  persuade 
his  nation  that  we  should  baj)ti/e  their  children. 

To  this  that  old  man  replied:  "It  is  said  that  this  washing 
with  water  (so  they  call  V»aj)tisin)  makes  the  children  die.  If 
thou  bapti/est  them  and  they  die,  they  will  say  that  thou  art  an 
Andastogueronon  (who  are  their  enemies)  who  has  come  into  our 
village  to -destroy  us." 

•'Do  not  fear,'"  said  I  to  him.  "they  are  ill-advised  who  told 
thee  that  this  baptism  killed  children,  for  we  French  are  all  bap- 
tized, and  but  for  that  we  would  not  go  to  heaven,  and  yet  thou 
knowest  well  we  are  very  numerous.'" 


ling 
I     If 


89 

Tlicii  ho  said:  "Do  as  tliou  wilt  :  tliou  art  master." 

Wo  a(jc()r(liiii>ly  assigned  a  day  when  we  sh(>nld  cotifer  this 
great  saeranient.  Several  adults  were  present,  and  W(.'  Itapti/ced 
ahout  tiftv  little  ehildreu.  among  wiioin  llohiario's  daughter — 
his  only  one — was  the  first.  She  was  named  ^[al•v,  thus  cut- 
ting our  tirst  fruits  under  the  proteetion  of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 
What  is  to  be  remarked  is,  that  as  no  one  of  the  first  fifty  bap- 
tized dieil,  they  leivc  U')  longer  any  dillieidty  against  holy  ba[)- 
tism,  although  several  otherehildren  have  since'  died  after  ba[)tisin. 

In  the  spring  of  l()i)I>,  Mr.  de  Fe'nelon  having  gone  down  to 
Montreal  for  eonsidtatiou  as  to  sonu;  dilUeulties  that  he  liad.  dur- 
ing the  voyage  in  whieh  he  draggtd  his  eanoe  himself,  both  as- 
cending and  descending  amid  the  most  fui'ious  ra|)ids.  lu;  bap- 
tized a  child  which  died  soon  after.  This  greatly  gladdened 
him  amid  his  Jianlships  which  are  so  great  that  w(!  should  not  be 
believeil,  it"  we  ventured  to  relati;  them,  .since  in  many  i)laeesand 
\cry  often  you  ascend  waters  more  impetuous  than  a  mill-fall,  bi'- 
ing  sometimes  up  to  tiie  armpils,  walking  barefoot  over  vei-y  cut- 
ting stones  with  whieh  most  of  these  watei's  are  paved. 

^Ir.  de  Fenelon  on  his  return  from  Montreal  brought  with 
him  another  missionary  who  was  A[r.  d'  Urfe.  Then  having  ar- 
rived, he  went  to  winter  in  the  village  of  (jaudatsetiagon,  settled 
\>y  detached  Souontouans.  who  had  come  to  the  north  shore  of 
which  we  have  charg'":  these  j)eople  having  asked  us  to  go  and 
instruct  them,  wen;  tlelighted  that  this  faxor  was  granted  them 
so  soon  after  they  had  asked  it.  As  for  us,  having  been  obliged 
to  go  with  the  Fndians  into  the  woods  in  order  to  extricate  our- 
selves from  the  want  of  food  in  which  we  were  because  our 
settlement  was  new,  by  a  singular  ])rovidence  1  fell  on  the  trail 
of  some  Jiidians  who  had  jtassed  shortly  In-fore,  but  we  were 
suri)rised  in  the  evening  on  .seeing  ourselves  arrive  in  a  place 
where  there  was  .smoke.  It  was  the  very  Indians  wh(»se  trail 
we  had  been  following  in  the  snow.     Api)i'oaeliiiig  nearer,  we 

saw  some  branches  of  trees,   from   which  a  little  smoke 

arcjse:  it  was  a  ])oor  Ir(X[Uois  woman  who  had  been  delivered  of 
two  chiMren,  who  were  hidden  under  this  wretched  eabinage 
with  some  others.  Then  her  iiusl)and  waking  up  said  to  me: 
'•Come  Blaek-gown,  she  has  been  delivered  of  three  children." 


90 

Tliese  poor  people  were  reduced  to  the  last  necessity,  for  they 
had  no  food,  and  subsisted  only  by  means  of  some  porcui)ines 
which  they  killed  and  ate.  The  whole  was  not  enough  to  satisfy 
two  pooi)le,  although  they  were  more  than  nine  or  ten.  On  see- 
ing this  poor  woman  I  was  all  the  inore  touched  from  my  ina- 
bility to  render  her  any  assistance,  for  wo  wcr(>  at  least  as  desti- 
tute as  they.  I  asked  her  if  her  children  were  in  good  health. 
The  husband  answered  that  one  of  the  two  would  soon  die.  The 
woman  utn'olled  them  l)oth  before  me  and  I  .saw  that  they  were 
half  fi'ozen,  and  beside  one  had  a  fever  and  was  dying.  From 
this  I  took  occasion  to  speak  to  them  of  our  religion,  telling 
them  that  T  was  verv  .sorry  that  these  children  were  sointr  to 
die  without  being  ba[)tized,  and  that  they  would  never  go  to 
heaven  without  it.  After  which  I  explained  these  things  to 
them  more  in  detail,  till  the  husband  interrupted  mc  saying, 
"Courage,  baptize  them  both,  my  brother,  it  is  a  pity  not  to 
go  to  heaven."  This  consent  given,  I  baptized  them  both,  and 
soon  after  a  good  number  of  these  new  Christians  went  to  enjoy 
glory  that  .same  winter  which  was  in  1670. 

Since  then  something  occurred  to  Mr.  d'Urfe  which  had  well 
nigh  proved  fatal  to  him,  and  which  I  wish  to  note.  After  .say- 
ing holv  mass  he  went  out  into  the  woods  to  offer  his  thankssiv- 
ing,  but  struck  in  so  far  that  he  lost  his  way  and  could  not  get 
back.  He  spent  a  whole  day  and  night  .seeking  his  way  but  un- 
able to  lind  it,  and  at  last  after he  was  obliged  to  take  his 

rest,  which  he  did  in  a  wolf  pit  which  an  Indian  had  made  some 
time  before.  The  next  day  in  the  midst  of  the  anxiety  which 
Ins  position  caused  him,  he  had  recour.se  to  the  late  Mr.  Oilier, 
to  whom  he  commended  himself,  and  pursuing  his  march  came 
straight  to  the  village.  For  this  he  believed  himself  greatly  in- 
debted to  his  ]>rotection.  During  his  ab.sence  the  Indians  had 
run  in  all  directions  to  seek  him,  and  when  he  returned  '^'■ey  all 
made  a  feast  to  thank  the  Spirit,  that  he  had  not  died  in  the 
woods.  lie  said  that  during  his  march  he  had  supported  i.uu- 
self  by  those  bad  mushrooms  which  grow  around  the  foot  of 
trees,  and  he  assured  us  that  he  had  found  thein  good,  so  true 
is  it  that  ap[)etite  give3  the  best  taste  to  things  which  are  the 
worst. 


In  1671  tliis  same)  iiiis.si<»nary  well  iii^^Ii  ju'rislic>(l  by  anotlKT 
miscliaiico.  This  was,  that  on  his  way  to  Montreal  his  canoe 
n|)S(!t  almost  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  being  nnder  sail  and  a 
violent  wind  astern,  bnt  fortnnately,  althonjfh  he  did  not  know 
how  to  swim,  (rod  preserveil  him,  so  that  he  (•lnn<,f  so  firmlv  to 
the  eanoe,  that  they  had  time  to  help  him,  although  they  were 
at  some  distance. 

This  last  year  Mr.  d'llrfe  having  made  some  stay  in  a  \illiige 
of  onr  mission  called  GanerasUe,  he  took  a  resolution  to  go  and 
visit  some  Indians  settled  about  live  leagues  from  it.  to  see 
whether  there  was  not  S(;mething  to  do  for  religion.  The  day 
after  his  arrival  a  ))oor  Inxjuois  woman  was  .sei/.ed  with  pains  of 
labor.  Now  as  these  poor  women  are  extremely  shame-faeed 
when  they  are  in  this  state  and  strangers  near,  this  ])(x)r  woman 
resolved  without  saying  anything  about  it,  to  go  out  into  the 
snow  to  be  delivered,  although  it  was  in  the  very  depth  of  win- 
ter. In  fact  soon  after  they  heard  the  child  cry,  the  women  of  the 
cabin,  taken  all  by  surprise,  ran  out  to  take  the  child  and  assist 
the  mother.  Mr.  d'Urfe  seeing  that  this  shame  had  produced  so 
distressing  a  result,  set  out  in  all  haste  to  return  to  (Janeraske 
and  leave  tlu;  cabin  free;  but  on  the  third  day  he  determined  to 
go  back  to  that  cabin  with  some  Frenchmen,  inasmuch  as  his 
chapel  service  had  been  left  there.  On  his  return  to  the  place 
he  found  the  Indian  woman  very  low.  The  other  women  told 
him  that  after  his  departure  ohe  had  had  another  child  also,  and 
had  lost  all  her  blood.  Three  quai'ters  of  an  hour  later,  the  sick 
woman  called  out  aloud  to  one  of  her  companions,  "Give  me 
some  water,"  and  she  died  at  the  very  instant.  Immediately  af- 
ter, those  who  attended  her  thrust  her  into  a  corner  of  the  cabin 
like  a  log,  and  threw  her  two  living  children  near  her,  to  be 
buried  the  next  morning  with  their  mother.  Mr.  d'Urfe  who 
was  near  enough  to  hear,  but  not  in  a  position  to  see  what  passed, 
asked  what  was  the  matter  and  why  there  was  so  much  bustle. 
The  Indians  told  nim :  Because  that  woman  is  dead.  Then 
that  gentleman  having  attested,  with  his  own  eyes,  the  death  of 
the  mother,  wished  to  guarantee  the  two  children  by  baptism,  as 
he  did  on  the  spot,  and  very  seasonably,  for  one  of  them  dieil 
the  same  night.     The  other,  though  (piite  well,  was  takcm  I)y  an 


92 

Indian  tlio  next  day  to  Iniry  alive  with  its  inotlier.  Mr,  d'Urfe 
said  to  him,  "Is  tliat  your  method  of  doin<r,  wliat  are  vou  think- 
ing of  ?"'  One  of  them  repHed,  "  Wiiat  would  you  have  us  do 
witii  it,  who  will  nurse  it?"  "Can  you  not  lind  an  Indian  wo- 
jnan  tosuekle  it?"  rejjlied  Mr.  d'lrh',"   "  No,"  retorted  the  Inihan. 

Mr.  d'Urfe  seeing  these  tilings,  hegged  for  tli(3  ehild's  life.  He 
made  it  take  some  raisin  jui(;e  and  sugar  syru[i  of  whieh  he  left 
a  small  sujtply,  in  order  to  assist  the  orphan,  while  he  went  to 
Kent(',  twelve  good  leagues  distant,  to  seek  a  nurse — l)ut  he  did 
so  in  vain — the  Indinu  women,  hy  a  strange  su[>erstition,  would 
not  for  anything  in  the  worM,  suckle  a  dead  woman's  ehild. 
The  missionary  returning  to  see  his  orphan  found  it  dead  to  the 
W(jrld  and  living  to  eternity,  after  having  lived  on  this  juiee  and 
syru|)  for  sevrn-al  (hiys. 

Sueh  is  the  misery  to  whieh  these  poor  Indians  are  reduced, 
which  extends  not  only  to  women  who  are  ])i'egnant,  a  great  many 
of  whom  die  for  want  of  wherewith  to  relieve  them  in  childhed, 
but  also  to  all  sick  women,  for  they  have  no  delieaeies  r.nd  a  poor 
})atient  in  tliese  nations  is  delighted  to  receive  a  missionary  visit, 
ho})ing  after  the  instruction  which  the  latter  is  going  to  o-jve 
him.  he  will  make  him  a  ])re.>^ent  of  a  i)rune,  two  or  three  raisins 
t)r  a  small  jiicce  of  sugar  as  big  as  a  nut. 

We  have  had  from  time  to  time  adults,  whom  God  has  so 
touched  in  their  maladies,  that  after  having  obtained  holy  baj)- 
tism,  they  died  in  our  hands  with  acbuirable  sentiments  of  sor- 
row for  their  past  sins.  Where  it  is  to  be  remarked  that  the 
Indians  not  having  received  like  us  this  great  grace  of  Christian 
education,  they  tii'e  not  in  compensation,  punished  like  us  at 
deatli  l)y  that  great  hardening  of  the  heart,  then  ordinarily 
found  among  us,  when  we  have  lived  badly;  on  the  contrary, 
as  soon  as  these  people  are  pro.strated  by  the  disease,  and  by  this 
means  in  a  better  state  to  rellcct  on  the  littleness  ol  this  life  and 
the  greatness  of  Ilim  who  is  thus  the  Master  of  our  day.s,  if 
Providence  at  this  time  i)Uts  him  iu  the  hands  of  a  missionary, 
he  commonly  dies  with  all  the  a])pearance  of  a  great  regret  for 
all  the  past. 

I  nmst  relate  an  example  whieh  happened  this  year,  (1872)  on 
this  subject.     Moreover  tliere  is  something  extraordinary  in  it 


m 


which  (leaorves  hciiiir  ln'tnight  to  the  light.  An  rii<li!iii  a  short 
(.listtiiice  from  us,  ;iii<l  who  scarcely  cared  to  approach  ns,  bcH-ausc 
lie  had  no  good  opinion  of  religion,  was  sei/.fvl  this  winter  witii  a 
languishing  malady,  which  at  last  brought  iiim  to  the  grave. 
Long  helore  his  death  he  dreamed  in  his  sleejt,  that  he  saw  a 
large  line  house  at  Kentc-  entirely  lilled  with  missionaries,  and 
that  a  young  one  among  them  baptized  him.  which  prevented 
ills  going  to  burn  in  a  tire,  and  put  him  in  a  state  to  go  to 
lieaven.  .  As  .soon  as  he  awoke,  he  sent  his  wife  to  Kent*'-  for  a 
priest  to  l)aj)tize  him.  .^^r.  dl'i-ft'  iiavim;'  perceived  the  wouian 
went  to  .see  what  the  ease  really  was.  The  sick  man  having:  told 
him  the  atTair  just  .as  I  have  relateti  it.  he  began  to  instruct  liim 
.solidly.  The  si(,'k  man  heard  him  with  great  attention.  After 
^fr.  trLTrfe  came  to  see  m(\  and  1  went  there  in  my  turn.  Inur- 
ing nearly  three  months  we  two  made  our  visits  in  turn,  the  sick 
man  always  hearing  us  with  (.-ars  so  eager  that  we  were  (^xti'eme- 
ly  touched  while  instructing  him.  It  was  nothing  but  regi'i'ts 
for  sin.  displeasiuv  at  having  oU'ending  God.  and  sighs  for  iiis 
service.  II(>  kept  incessantly  soliciting  baptism  from  us  in  or- 
der to  go  and  see  his  Creator,  but  we  always  deferred  conferring 
it  upon  him,  l)oth  on  accoiuit  of  the  eircumspcMion  we  practice 
on  this  point,  and  on  account  of  the  great  advantage  v.hich  the 
sick  man  would  derive  from  his  fervent  desire  in  ])reparing  to 
receive  this  sacrament :  at  last  after  many  importunities  on  the 
same  subject,  we  granted  him  his  earnest  wish,  when  we  saw 
that  it  was  time  to  do  so,  and  after  iuiving  been  washed  with 
this  salutary  water,  having  editied  every  one  of  those  who  saw 
him  practice  so  many  beautiful  acts  of  virtue,  he  died  to  live 
more  happily,  going  to  the  place  he  sighed  for  in  the  Ijist  d;ivs 
of  his  life. 

Such  good  works  con.stitutc  the  sole  consolation  of  missiona- 
ries amid  all  the  diihenlties  they  encounter  in  the  instruction  of 
these  poor  forsaken  ones.  I  call  them  so  even  in  regard  to  their 
souls,  because  very  often  they  have  not  all  the  aid  that  is  neees- 
sarv  for  them  in  s[)iritual  things,  operarii  p'Hici,  messis  rero  vindla. 

We  have  three  villaues'  in  this  extent  of  our  mission  without 


1  Till!  villa^csi  miiiitioni'd  ii>  tlio  imrnitivc  ns  \iii(Ut  the  cure  of  llic  mis-ion,  uro   Kenti;, 
(iiincriiwliti,  <iiin(liit»ii»!roii.  on  tlic  iiortti  side  of  Luke  Onliirio,  between  tlic  present,  sites  of 


94 

comitiii'!:  sc'itUTcil  ('iil)iii.«.  'riicrc  is  not  one  of  these  villaj'os 
when'  there  is  not  enough  eniployrneiit  fm-  ;i  ;.f()<Ml  niissioniirv. 
Our  ])i'inf.'i|)al  oeeiipatioii  is  uinoiig  the  sick,  and  among  the  ehil- 
tlren  who  wilhngly  attend  th(!  instructions  given  them,  an<l  even 
pray  to  (rod  very  well  in  their  own  hnignagc.  and  think  them- 
seKv's  well  rewarded,  if  after  their  instruction,  the  missionary 
makes  them  a  present  of  a  ])rune  or  a  raisin,  or  some  other  like 
delicacy,  which  serves  us  as  Agnus  Dei's  and  pictures  in  France 
serve  those  who  teach  catechism.  The  fathers  and  mothers  show 
no  opposition  to  the  instruction  of  their  ehihlren.  On  the  con- 
trary they  are  vain  of  it,  and  fre([uently  even  solicit  it  from  the 
missionaries.  I  am  obliged  to  render  this  testimony  to  the  truth, 
that  the  Indians,  barbarous  as  they  are,  and  without  the  light  of 
the  gospel,  do  not  commit  as  many  sins  as  mo.st  Christians." 

This  is  a  little  sketch  of  all  that  has  passed  in  our  mission,  as 
far  as  memory  can  supply  it,  for  I  never  applied  myself  to  draw 
up  .iuy  remarks,  knowing  well  that  God  is  a  great  light,  and  that 
when  he  wishes  things  known  which  concern  his  glory,  ho  would 
sooner  make  the  trees  and  stones  speak. 

I  have  not  taken  any  great  pains  to  describe  the  little  trials 
which  the  Kente  missionaries  have  felt,  nor  the  privations  in  which 
they  have  frequently  found  themselves,  since  the  time  when  this 
enterjM-ise  was  undertaken.  What  I  may  add  to  Mr.  Trouve's 
letter  is  that  the  Kente  missionaries  will  suffer  much  less  in  the 
future  than  in  the  past,  inasmuch  as  the  gentlemen  of  the  Semi- 
nary of  St.  Sulpice  have  sui)})lied  the  place  with  cattle,  hogs  and 
poultry,  which  the  missionaries  have  transported  thither  with 
great  difficulty.  If  the  King  at  any  time  orders  any  enterprise 
on  Nontario,  as  tlie  place  seems  to  reciuire  in  order  to  keep  the 
Iroquois  in  the  last  submission  and  have  all  their  peltries  which 


Kiii'.'^toii  iiiul  Toronto,  iiiul  as  iiuliriitud  on  the  I'lirliest  maps  nearly  eqiii-diHtant  from  each 
other.  Kente,  the  seat  of  the  nii-slon,  \va>  at  the  wentern  extremity  of  (^uinte  Bay,  n  long, 
lrre;.'iihir.  windini;  body  of  water  divided  from  Lake  Ontario  by  tlie  pcninnnla  of  Prince  Ed- 
ward, and  indented  on  every  side  by  fiuall  bays  and  eovec,  olTerinj,'  ancliorajje  and  shelter 
for  such  vessels  ns  navigate  the  Lakes.  The  lake  harbor  nt  this  point  Is  now  known  as 
Pres(|ue  Isle,  and  is  abont  70  miles  west  by  NOiith  from  Kingston.  (Janeraskii  was  located  at 
or  near  the  i)resent  harbor  of  I'ort  Uoiie,  the  capitol  of  Dinlunn  eoiiiity,  nt  thesoiitli  termin- 
us of  the  Midland  railway,  and  on  the  Grand  Trnnk  Line,  fiO  miles  east  by  north  of  Toronto. 
Oandntsiagon,  a  Seneca  village,  corresp  >nds  to  Whitby,  also  a  port  of  entry,  tho  capital  of 
Ontario  connty.  south  terminus  of  the  Whitby  and  Perry  railway,  and  on  the  (ir.nid  Trunk 
line.  30  miles  east  by  north  of  Toronto.    The  harbor  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  best  on  the  lake. 


^^^M^"  f ' "  'i.'*^  -^  ^»" 


5»5 

tlit'v  coiiit.!  iiiitl  obtain  frotii  our  tci'i'itorio.s,  aiitl  afterwards  carry 
t(t  other  nations  than  ours,  those  appointeil  to  execute  and  os- 
tahhsli  it  will  l)e  al)le  to  reci'ive  <ireat  s|»iritnal  as  well  as  tem- 
jioral  ai<l  at  Kentu  liv  means  of  the  laliors  and  outlay  made  hy 
the  ijontlemeii  of  iSt.  Sulpice  in  that  place.  I  do  not  name  in 
t'll.s  history  tliose  of  the  Seminary  who  l)ear  the  expenses  at 
Montreal  and  Kente.  ulthou<rh  tlii'v  are  great  and  heavy,  be- 
cause I  do  not  venture  to  do  so.  If  those  wlio  rend  this  lind 
cau.se  to  blame,  let  tiiem  tind  it  right  that  I  sul)mit  to  their  eou- 
ilemnation,  and  not  incur  the  displeasure  of  the.se  gentlemen  who 
would  very  soon  have  efl'aeed  their  names  had  I  i)Ut  them  on 
paper." 

It  will  l)e  remembered  that  Messrs.  de  Fenelon  and  Trouve, 
just  before  entering  on  the  Kente  nii.ssion  in  lt>(38,  were  ordained 
to  the  priesthood  by  Bishop  Laval,  the  linst  Bishop  of  New 
France,  who  also  supported  them  l)y  his  formal  act,  in  the  instruc- 
tions already  referred  to,  and  which  are  herewith  given  as  an 
important  part  of  the  history.  The  document  is  from  the  Regis- 
ter of  the  Arclibishopric  of  Quebec,  as  in  Memoirs  of  the  Mon- 
treal Historical  Society,  iv,  pp.  260-8. 

IXSTKl'CTION  FOR  OUK  WELL  BELOVED  IN  OUR  LORD,  CLAUDE 
TROUVE  AND  FRANCIS  DE  SALAGNAC,  PRIESTS,  GOING  ON  A 
MISSION  TO  THE  IROQUOIS  SITUATED  ON  THE  NORTH  SHORE  OF 
LAKE  ONTARIO. 

I.  Let  them  be  well  persuaded  that  being  sent  to  labor  in  the 
conversion  of  the  inlidel.s,  they  have  the  most  important  employ- 
ment there  is  in  the  Church,  which  should  oblige  them  to  ren- 
der themselves  worthy  instruments  of  God,  to  perfect  them.selves 
in  all  tlie  virtues  })ro[)er  to  an  Apostolic  ^lissionary,  often  medi- 
tating in  imitation  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  the  pati  n  and  ideal  of 
missionaries,  these  words  of  tlie  Gospel :  "  What  doth  it  profit  a 
man  to  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul."' 

II.  Let  them  endeavor  to  avoid  the  two  extremes,  which  are 
to  be  feared  in  those  who  devote  themselves  to  the  conversion  of 
souls,  excessive  liope  or  excessive  despair.  Those  who  hope  for 
too  much  are  often  the  lirst  to  desj)air  of  everything,  in  view  of 
the  great  dilhculties  met  with  in  tlie  undertakinu;  of  converting 
the  intidels,  which  is  i-atherthe  work  of  God,  than  man's  indus- 


ftrt 

try.  L'l  tlieiii  roiiieiulKM*  tluit  tlic  sfcl  of  the  WoC'l  <»l"  n.nl 
Ik'ui's  fruit  ill  piitieiuu!.  Thos ;  who  liavo  i'<»t,  tliis  paticiu'c  ar<! 
(3ii(hvii^''L'i'(':l  (after  havin^i' sc.'ittoreil  much  lii'>'  in  the  Id'Lriiiiiiiiii) 
of  losiiiu'  coiirauf,.'  at  last,  and  alt;iiiiloiiiii;^'  the  iuiih-rl.ikiirj'. 

nr.  'I'h  '  lati'j'iiaj'*  is  iiec'LV-tsarv  to  act  with  the  Iii'liaiis.  >'('t 
it  is  oiii'  of  th-.'  least  pirts  of  a  ,iroo(l  niissiouarv.  ju-it  as  in 
Fraiiee.  speaking'  Fiviieli  well  is  not  what  makes  one  preach  with 
fruit. 

r\'.  Th''  talents  which  constitute  li'ok'I  missionaries,  arc  1st, 
To  li.'  full  of  the  Spirit  of  (io:l;  that  Spirit  must  anitnate  our 
words  and  our  hi'.irts.  "  ( )ut  of  tho  nhmidanec  of  the  hcai-t  the 
mouth  speakt'th."  2d,  To  Ikuc  Lireat  prudcniH'  in  the  choici- 
and  oriler  of  tiic  tliini!'s  necessary  to  !)•  doni'  cither  to  iMili'jiitcn 
the  mind,  or  to  bend  the  will  :  all  that  docs  not  eontrihute  to  this 
are  words  lost.  .'iil.  To  pay  j^'reat  attention  not  to  losi;  the  mo 
ments  for  the  .salvation  of  .soids,  and  to  mak<'  nj)  for  the  iie>jli- 
genei' which  often  creeps  over  Catcchuniens,  for  as  the  (le\il  on 
his  sidi'  "gooth  about  lilce  a  I'oarin;/  lion,  si.'el<in,u'  whom  he  may 
dc\'our."  so  it  is  neccs-Jary  that  we  should  he  vi<:ilant  atraihst 
his  clTorts  with  care,  mildness  and  love.  4tli.  To  have  nothinii' 
in  our  life  or  our  manners  which  may  seem  to  contradict  what 
wc  say,  or  which  may  infuse  indisposition  into  the  niin<ls  and 
hearts  of  those  whom  we  wish  to  win  to  (lod.  oth.  We  nmst 
makt!  our.seK'cs  loved  hy  our  mildnc'ss.  i)aticn(;e  and  charity,  and 
Li'ain  minds  and  hearts  to  uain  them  to  God  :  often  a  sharp  word, 
an  impatience,  a  ro[)elling  1(M)I;  will  destroy  in  a  monient  what 
\ve'»have  done  in  a  long  time.  Utli.  The  Spirit  of  (iod  re<piires 
a  peaceful  recoilecttetl  heart  and  not  a  restless  heart  full  of  idle 
thoughts.  It  rci[uires  a  cheerful,  modest  countenance:  it  is  nci> 
essary  to  avoid  railleries  and  unbridled  laughter  and  in  general 
all  that  is  couti'ary  to  a  holy  and  cheerful  modesty,  '"Let  your 
mod(^sty  be  known  to  all  men." 

V,  Their  main  care  in  the  actual  (Condition  they  are  in.  will 
be,  as  far  as  p(»ssible.  to  let  no  Indian  die  without  baptism  :  let 
them  take  care  nevertheless  to  act  always  A'ith  prudence  and  re- 
serve op  occasion  in  regard  to  the  baptism  of  adidts,  and  e\'cn  of 
children  not  in  dauLier  of  <leatli. 


517 

\'r.  In  tli(!  (l()iil)t  whctlu'i"  ill)  !iiliilr  lias  Uoeii  nlroiidy  liaptixcil. 
hit  liiiii  1)0  l)a|)ti/t'il  comlitionally  ami  to  makf  iiioih'  sure  <>t'  liis 
salvation,  (•aiis((  liiiii  to  iiiakt*  a  iii'iicral  coiifession  of  his  whole 
life,  iiistnictinti-  liitii  lu'l'oivhainl  on  tht^  nu'aii-*  ofdoinif  it  Wfll. 

VII.  lift  them  take  uTi'at  can'  to  cnttM'  in  uriliii^'  the  nanus 
of  the  l)a|iti/.eil.  their  fathers  and  mothers,  ami  even  some  other 
relatives,  the  day.  month  and  year  nf  the  liaptism. 

VIII.  When  tliey  have  (rn^v-Jion  let  them  writi^  to  the  .lesiiil 
Fathers,  whi)  are  employed  in  ihi'  lro([ii.tis  missions  in  order  t" 
resolve  tlieir  donlits  and  to  rcn-ive  from  their  lonir  e\|ierlencr 
the  necessary  liuht  for  their  eondiiet. 

IX.  They  will  also  take  ^'reat  eai-e  to  inform  us.  l>y  all  the  oc- 
casions that  otVcr.  of  the  stati!  of  their  mi.-ision,  and  the  progres.-; 
they  make  in  the  conversion  of  souls. 

X.  Let  tliciii  often  read  these  conn-i.-Is.  and  the  other  Memoirs 
of  Instructions  which  we  h.ave  u-iven  them  in  ord"r  to  refresh  the 
mcmor\'  and  oliserve  them  well.  |>"rsu  idin,!^'  themselves  well  that 
thereon  depends  the  liap|>v  success  of  their  mission. 

FHAXCIS.  IVishopof  Petr.e!,. 


A  contempornncous  letter  of  Bishop  Laval  to  Mr.  i|e  Ki-nelon. 
under  (lati-  of  S"pt.  lo.  ir»(!s  ( Ar/hives  of  tli«  Seminary  of  Mon- 
treal. Faillon.  Hist,  de  la  Colonic  l''rancaise.  III.  pp.  1!)2-J>)  proli- 
ably  a.'companieil  tli"  aUove  instructions  a)id  is  in  the  foUowiii'^- 
ti.'rms  : 

Touru  WKi,i.-in<:i.ovi:i)  in  one  Loui*.  KuAXcrs  i)i<;  Salac. 
NA(*.  I'lUKST. — It  is  With  a  siii,L:ular  satisfaction  and  consolation 
of  our  soul  that  we  have  seiMi  tln3  fervor  and  coura,ij."e  with  which 
you  devote  yourself  to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  nations, 
and  that  you  have  made  known  to  us  the  sentiments  which  Go.) 
has  ijiven  you  to  ti'o.  Itcfore  this  winter,  to  a  place  situate  towarils 
the  outlet  nearest  to  us  of  the  lake  called  Ontario,  north  shore,  to 
lal)or  there  for  the  eoiiver.siou  of  a  nation,  which  has  heen  s(?t- 
tled  there  for  ahout  three  ye'ars.  and  to  .seek  there  the  straved 
sheep  which  heret<)f<u-e  the  Fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  had 
brought  to  the  fold  of  our  Lord. 

We  give  you  power  and  authority  to  labor  for  the  conversion 
of  this  people,  to  confer  the  sacraments  on  them  and  generally 


5)8 

to  do  all  that  you  shall  deem  proper  for  the  estahlishinent  of  the 
faith  and  the  increase  of  this  new  Christian  body  :  enjoining'  yon, 
however,  to  be  suboribnate  in  all  these  functions,  to  our  well  be- 
loved Claude  Trou\e,  priest,  whom  we  associate  with  yon  for  the 
same  design,  and  to  receive  from  him  in  all  that  shall  regard  the 
salvation  of  souls,  direction  and  power.  We  commend  \()\i  to 
preserve  always  a  very  close  connection  and  intimate  nnion  with 
the  missionary  religious  of  the  society  of  Jesus,  in  order  that 
having  all  only  one  same  heart  and  one  same  spirit,  it  may  ]>lease 
the  Sovei-eign  Pastor  of  souls  to  make  us  all  partakers  of  the 
same  grace  and  same  blessings.  This  is  what  we  imi)lore  him  to 
grant  you  through  the  intercession  of  his  most  holy  Mother  and 
of  the  Blessed  Saint  Joseiih,  especial  Patron  of  this  rising  church. 

Faillon,  in  his  account  of  the  mission,  follows  Dollierde  Casson 
giving  few  other  facts.  Couicelle  and  Talon  made  them  agrajit 
of  lands  at  Kente  bay  to  settle  and  clear,  with  right  of  fishing  in 
the  bay  and  lake  of  that  name,  in  the  Tanaouate  river,  and  in 
Lake  Ontario  from  Kente  to  Gagouion  bay.  (Letter  of  Mr.  Tron- 
son  to  Mr.  Trouve  June  1,  1681.  Archives  of  Seminary  of 
Monireal,  October  5th,  1679.)  They  spent  the  winter  of  1668 
at  KiMite.  Li  the  spring  Fenelon  went  to  Montreal  and  Quebec. 
He  returned  with  Mr.  Lascaris  and  Mr.  d'Urfe. 

The  Sul])itians  having  resolved  to  maintain  the  mission,  sent 
uj)  cattle,  etc.,  with  laborers  to  clear  the  land,  and  other  work- 
men to  build  a  farm  with  a  large  house,  which  was  supplied  with 
all  agricultural  implements,  furniture,  provisions  and  other  nec- 
essaries for  such  a  settlement.  (Letter  of  Mr.  Tronson,  April 
2otli.  1675.  Letter  of  Mr.  Bretonvilliers,  May,  1675,  A})riloth, 
1(>77.) 

'•  Resides  Mr.  Trouv^,  Mr.  de  Fenelon  and  Mr.  dTMe,  other 
priests  of  the  Seminary  were  emjiloyed  on  this  mission,  and 
among  them  Mr.  de  Cice  and  Mr.  Mariet."     It  was  perhaps  some 


1  III  explniiation  of  the  (liffereiicc  of  titlo  ns  applied  to  the  Jesuit  Fathers  and  the  Siilpitiiin 
Illis^'i(lllaril■»  it  ought  to  \h>  i*aiil  tliat  tlic  SiilpitiaiiH  arc  a  community  of  secuinr  i)rii'stt<,  and 
devoted  especially  to  the  direction  of  theolonieal  xcminarles.  They  are  not  a  relifriouc  or- 
der, as  the  Jesuits,  hound  by  vow»  ;  and  they  are  invariably  spoken  of  as  Mr.  Trouvc,  Mr. 
de  Kcnelon,  iVc.  (the  Uev.  being  used  in  Knglish),  never  as  Father.  This  title  is  properly 
used  only  of  members  of  a  religious  order,  and  it  is  a  iiii:?nonier  to  apply  it,  as  it  is  eoniinou 
with  the  newspapers,  to  every  secular  priest.  Hi  England,  until  the  Ucforniation,  the  secu- 
lar priest  had  the  title  Sir,  like  a  Kniftht. 


{»9 

one  of  these  inissionaries  who  coinitosed  ii  inaimscript.  formerly 
l)reserve(l  in  the  Ma/iiriu  Librarv  ontitU^l :  "Abritlj.nneiitof  the 
hfe  and  nirtnners.  and  other  partieiihirs  of  the  Iroi^uois  nation 
which  is  divided  into  live  viilaj^es  and  tribes,  A.trnies,  Onneionts, 
Nontagues,  Goyoouans,  Sonnontouans."  Faillon,  llistoire  de  \ii 
Colonie  Franeaise  III,  ]>.  198,  note. 

Tliis  cf)nipletcs  the  Snlpitian  mission  at  Kente.  When  Fort 
Catarocouy  was  erected,  liecolleets  were  a])])ointed  chaplains, 
and  the  Sulpitians  apparently  withdrew.'  When  a  clergyman 
speaking  Iroquois  was  needed  there,  Father  Milet  was  sent  np, 
the  same  who  with  de  Carheil  and  Garnier  re  established  the 
Onondaga  missi(jn  in  16()8.  Nothing  is  said  of  the  chapel,  if 
any  was  erected  by  the  Sulpitians,  or  of  the  condition  and  num- 
bers of  the  little  llock  they  finally  gathered;  but  of  the  devotion 
and  heroism  of  these  self-denying  men  the  record  of  their  lal)ors 
gives  abundant  testimony.  It  is  a  record  which,  like  that  of  the 
earlier  and  more  extended  efforts  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  oc- 
cupying the  larger  share  of  our  attention  in  these  chapters,  will 
never  lose  its  charm,  nor  cease  to  command  the  respect  and  ad- 
miration of  men  irrespective  of  religious  opinion  or  prejudice, 
though  all  trace  of  their  work  has  passed  away  with  the  di.sap- 
pearance  of  the  once  powerful  nations  for  whose  conversion  they 
toiled  with  such  zeal  and  self-sacrifice. 


1  The  first  llecoUect  miHsionarien  sent  to  the  <iiiiiuo  mission  were  the  famous  Father  I.oiiis 
Hennepin  and  Father  Luke  Bulsset.  The  former  visited  the  tuntons  in  New  Yorl<,  copied 
Bruyas'  dictionary,  and  returned  to  Fort  Frontenac  (Cataroucony).  Ilis  missionary  career 
was,  liowover,  short.  He  soon  set  out  with  La  Salle  on  liis  voyage  of  discovery.  Fatlier 
Luke,  a  man  of  piety  and  enidltion  twice  wintered  with  the  Indians  and  labored  zealously 
for  their  conversion,  as  Le  C!erc(i  assures  us  (vol.  II,  p.  Ill;  Hennepin  New  Discov.  p.  1!», 
y77l.  He  was  succeeded  apparently  .ibout  ]0(!8,  by  Father  Francis  Wasson  of  whom  l,o 
Clercq  speaks  in  terms  of  eiilojjy,  and  who  remained  as  Chaplain  of  the  fort  and  niisHionary 
of  the  Iroquois  for  six  years  (Le  C'lerci|,  Relation  (iaspesie,  5K5).  His  labors  in  the  latter 
c;ii)aclty  could  not,  however,  have  been  great,  for  when  Denonville  required  an  interpreter 
at  the  place,  he  was  compelled  to  substitute  Father  Milet  as  chaplain,  a  step  which  would 
have  been  unnecessary  lia<l  Father  Wasson  spoken  the  Cayuga  dialect.  It  may,  therel'ore, 
l)e  concluded  that  the  mission  was  virtually  abandoned  in  16S7.  Shea's //jjt^  t'iilh<ilif  Mia- 
fionn  amo)i(j  Imlhtii  Tribr.i,  V.  s.  p.  309,  //. 


A  PPENDIX. 


. 


HONNONOUARORIA:'    THE  DREAM  FEAST  OF  THE 

IROQUOIS. 


One  of  the  most  noted  of  the  Iroquois  festivals  was  the  Dream  Feast,  which, 
while  it  lasted,  was  one  scene  (iT  fren/.y.  Ihe  dream  wiiose  behest  must  be 
obeyed  to  the  letter,  was  to  the  Indian  a  universal  oracle;  and  on  this  occasion  li- 
cense was  given  to  every  one  who  may  have  dreamed  of  any  thing  involving  his 
welfare  to  demand  of  others  that  they  should  tell  him  his  dream  and  satisfy  his 
desire  as  thus  indicated. 

The  following  description  of  this  feast,  called  Honnonouaroria,  is  by  Father 
Claude  Dablon,  who  with  Father  Joseph  Chaumonot,  witnessed  its  observance  in 
1656,  the  year  of  their  embassy  to  Onondaga  to  open  the  way  for  the  Missions  in 
the  several  lioquois  Cantons: 

"It  began  with  the  22nd  of  February  and  lasted  three  days.  Immediately  0:1 
the  proclamation  of  the  Feast  by  the  old  men  of  the  village,  to  whom  this  duty 
is  entrusted,  the  whole  population,  men,  women  and  children,  rush  from  their 
cabms  through  the  streets  in  the  wildest  confu.sion,  but  by  no  means  after  the 
fashion  of  an  European  masquerade.  The  larger  part  are  nearly  naked  and  seem 
insensible  to  cold,  which  is  almost  intolerable  to  the  warmly  clad.  Certain  ones 
carry  with  them  a  plentiful  supply  of  water,  and  it  may  be  something  more  hurt- 
ful, to  throw  upon  those  who  come  in  their  way.  Others  seize  fire  brands,  live 
coals  with  ashes,  which  they  fling  about  without  regard  to  consequences.  Others 
still,  occupy  themselves  in  smashing  pots,  plates  and  the  small  houjiehold  utensils 
they  happen  to  encounter.  A  number  are  armed  with  swords,  spears,  knives, 
hatchets,  clubs,  which  they  make  as  if  they  would  hurl  at  the  first  comer  ;  and 
this  is  kept  up  until  some  one  is  able  to  interpret  and  execute  the  dream. 

"  It  sometimes  occurs,  however,  that  the  skill  of  each  and  all  fails  him  in  di- 
vining their  meaning,  since  instead  of  proposing  the  matter  plainly,  they  rather 
conceal  it  in  enigma,  chanting  a  jumble  of  ambiguous  words  or  gesticulate  in  si- 
lence as  in  pantomime.  Consetiuently  they  do  not  always  find  an  (Edipus  to 
solve  the  riddle.  At  the  same  time  they  obstinately  persist  in  their  demand 
that  the  dream  shall  be  made  known,  and  if  the  diviner  is  too  slow,  or  shows 
an  unwillingness  to  risk  an  interpietation,  or  makes  the  least  mistake,  they  threat- 
en to  burn  and  destroy.  Nor  are  these  empty  threats,  as  we  found  out  to  our 
cost.  One  of  these  mad  fellows  slipping  into  our  cabin  demanded  in  a  bois- 
terous manner  that  we  should  tell  him  his  dream  and  that  at  all  hazards  he  must 
be  satisfied.  Now  though  we  declared  in  the  outset  that  we  were  not  there  to 
obey  these  dreams,  he  kept  up  his  noise  and  gabble  long  after  we  had  left  the 
spot  and  retired  to  a  cabin  in  the  open  field  to  avoid  the  tumult.     At  length  one 

1  Oimonliouarii,  lu  cervelle,  (braint>>.— Brnyas.  Mofiawk  Radicals.  Some  render  the  word 
'•  La  cervelle  renverBee,"— "  the  disordered  brain.' 


103 


IE 


of  those  with  whom  we  lodged,  wearied  with  his  outcry,  went  to  ascertain  what 
would  satisfy  liini.  The  furious  creature  replied:  "  I  kill  a  Frenchman;  that  ! 
my  dream,  and  it  must  be  done  at  any  sacrifice."  Our  host  then  threw  hiiu  a 
I'lench  dress  as  though  the  clothes  of  the  dead  man,  at  the  same  time  assuming 
a  like  fury,  saying  that  he  would  avenge  the  Frenchman's  death,  and  that  his 
loss  would  lie  that  of  the  whole  village,  which  he  would  lay  in  ashes,  beginning 
with  his  own  cabin.  Upon  that,  he  drove  out  parents,  friends,  servants,  the 
whole  crowd  gathered  to  witness  the  issue  of  this  hubbub.  Having  his  house  to 
himself  he  bolted  the  door  and  set  (ire  to  the  interior  in  every  part.  At  the  in- 
stant that  the  spectators  were  looking  to  see  the  cabii  in  ilames.  Father  Chaumo- 
not,  on  an  errand  of  charity,  arrived,  and  seeing  the -smoke  issuing  from  the  bark 
house,  exclaimed,  "this  must  not  l)e," — burst  open  the  door,  threw  himself  in  the 
midst  of  the  smoke  and  flame,  .subdued  the  tire,  and  gently  drew  our  host  from 
his  peril,  contrary  to  the  expectations  of  the  whole  populace  who  had  supjiosed 
that  the  demon  of  dreams  was  irresistible.  The  man  however  continued  to  man- 
ifest his  fury.  He  coursed  the  streets  and  cabins,  shouting  at  the  top  of  his  voice 
that  everything  should  be  set  on  lire  to  avenge  the  deaih  of  the  Frenchman. 
Tiiey  then  offered  him  a  dog  as  a  victim  to  his  ange?-  and  to  the  god  of  his  passion. 
"  It  is  not  enougli,"  he  said  "  to  efface  the  disgrace  and  infamy  of  the  attempt  to 
slay  a  Frenchman  lodged  in  my  house."  They  then  made  a  second  offering  simi- 
lar to  the  first,  when  he  at  once  Iiecame  calm  and  retired  by  himself  as  if  nothing 
had  occurred. 

"  It  is  to  be  remarked  in  ]5assing,  that  as  in  their  wars  they  make  more  of  the 
spoil  taken  from  the  prisoner  than  they  do  of  his  life,  so  when  one  dreams  that 
he  must  kill  any  one,  he  is  often  content  with  the  clothes  of  the  one  to  be  slain, 
in  place  of  hi.s  person.  Thus  it  was  that  the  Frenchman's  dress  was  given  to  the 
dreamer,  with  which  he  was  entirely  appeased.     Hut  to  pass  to  other   instances. 

"  The  brother  of  our  host  had  a  part  also  in  the  performances  (piite  as  promi- 
nent as  any  of  the  others  He  arrayed  himself  to  personate  a  Satyr,  covering 
himself  from  head  to  foot  with  the  husks  of  Indian  corn.  He  dressed  up  two 
women  as  veritable  Furies,  with  their  hair  parted,  their  faces  blackened  with 
with  charcoal,  each  covered  with  the  skin  of  a  wolf  and  armed  with  a  light 
and  a  heavy  slick.  The  Satyr,  and  his  companions  thus  etjuipped,  came  about 
our  cabin  singing  and  howling  witli  all  their  might.  He  mountetl  the  roof 
followed  by  the  shrews,  and  there  played  a  thousand  pranks,  shouting  and 
screaming  as  if  everything  was  going  to  destruction.  This  being  over,  he  came 
down  and  marched  soberly  through  the  village,  preceded  by  these  women  who 
cleared  the  way  with  their  slicks,  breaking  indiscriminately  whatever  lay  in  their 
path.  If  it  is  true,  that  there  is  no  man  who  has  not  at  least  a  grain  of  madness, 
and  the  number  of  fools  is  infinite,  it  must  be  confessed  that  the-;e  people  havf; 
each  more  than  half  an  ounce.     Hut  this  is  not  all. 

"  Hardly  had  our  Satyr  and  his  companions  disappeared,  when  a  woman  threw 
herself  into  our  cabin,  armed  with  an  arquebuse,  which  s4ie  had  obtained  through 
her  dream.  She  sang,  shouted,  screamed,  declaring  that  she  was  about  to  go  to 
the  war  .against  the  Cat  Nation  ;  that  she  would  fight  and  bring  back  prisoners, 
calling  down  a  thousand  imprecations  and  maledictions  if  the  thing  did  not  come 
out  as  she  had  dreamed. 


1(»4 


"  A  warrior  followed  this  Amazon  arnu'tl  witii  a  long  bow,  arrows  and  spear  in 
hand.  He  dance<l,  he  sang,  he  threatened,  then  all  at  once  rushed  at  a  woman 
who  was  just  coming  into  the  cahin  to  see  the  comedy,  and  contented  himself 
with  seizing  her  by  the  hair  and  placing  the  spear  at  her  throat,  careful  lest  he 
should  inflict  any  woun<l  anil  then  retired  to  give  place  to  a  prophet  who  had 
dreamed  that  it  was  in  his  power  to  (li>cover  secrets,  lie  was  most  ridiculously 
accoutred,  holding  in  his  hand  a  sort  of  rod,  which  served  him  to  point  out  the 
spot  where  the  thing  was  concealeii.  It  was  needful,  neverthele.-.s,  that  lie  should 
have  an  assistant  who  carried  a  vase  tilled  with  I  know  not  what  kind  of  licpior, 
of  which  he  would  take  a  mouthful,  and  sputter  or  blow  it  out  on  the  head,  the 
face,  the  hands,  and  on  the  rod  of  the  (!i\iiicv.  who  after  this,  never  failed  to  dis- 
cover the  matter  in  (piestion. 

"  Next  came  a  woman  w  ilii  a  mat  which  she  held  in  her  hand,  and  moved 
about  as  if  she  were  catching  li>h.  'I'hi^  was  to  indicate  that  they  had  to  give 
her  some  lish  because  of  iicr  dream.  Another  woman  simply  iioed  up  ihe 
ground  with  a  mattock,  which  meant  that  some  one  would  give  her  a  field  or 
piece  of  land  that  .■•he  thought  was  justly  her  right.  She  was  satisfied  htiwever 
with  the  possession  of  five  holes  in  which  to  plant  Indian  corn. 

"  One  of  the  princii)al  men  of  the  village  presented  himself  in  a  mi>eral)le 
plight.  He  was  all  covered  witii  ashes  ;  ami  because  no  one  had  told  his  dream 
which  demanded  two  human  hearts,  he  succeeded  in  prolonging  the  festival  for 
a  day  and  a  night,  and  during  that  lime  did  nt)t  cease  the  repetition  of  his  mad- 
ness. Me  came  to  our  cabin  where  there  were  a  number  of  firc'^,  and  .--eating 
himself  befcux'  the  first,  threw  into  the  air  tlij  coals  and  ashes.  He  re[)eated  this 
at  the  second  and  third  fire-jilace  ;  but  when  he  came  to  our  fire,  he  refrained 
from  the  performance  out  of  respect  to  us. 

"  Some  came  fully  armed,  and  as  if  actually  engaged  in  combat,  they  went 
through  the  positions,  the  war  cry,  the  skirmish,  as  when  two  armies  nu.'et 
each  other.  Others  marched  in  bands,  danced  and  put  on  all  the  contor- 
tions of  body,  like  those  with  evil  possessions.  Hut  we  should  never  get  through 
with  the  narrative  if  we  were  disposed  to  n.'hearse  all  that  was  done  through  the 
three  days  and  night.^  in  which  this  folly  ladled,  with  one  continual  uproar,  in 
which  one  could  not  so  nuuli  as  think  of  a  moment'.->  repose. 

"  Nevertheless,  it  did  not  hinder  llie  i)ia\er-.  from  being  made  as  usual  in  our 
chapel,  nor  the  manifestation  of  I'lod's  love  toward  this  poor  jieople  in  certain 
miraculous  casus  of  healing  accorded  by  virtue  of  holy  bajitism,  of  which  we  can- 
not now  speak  ;  and  thus  we  close  the  accoinU  of  the  homage  they  render  to  their 
dreams."     J^clntivii  1656,   chap..   I\,  2(1-29. 


WAll  FEAST  OF  THE  IROQUOIS. 


In  chapter  X  of  his  delation  (1656)  Dablon  describes  this  feast,  the  imiredi- 
a'e  occasiun  of  which  was  the  conlempiaied  war  with  the  Eries  alluded  to  i'l  the 
account  of  the  establishment  of  the  missions  among  the  Iroquois  as  given  in  the 
preliminary  chapter  of  this  work. 

"  We  saw  in  the  latter  part  of  January  (1656)  the  ceremony  which  takes  place 
every  winter,  in  their  preparations  for  war,  and  which  serves  to  stiiaulate  their 
courage  for  the  approaching  conflict.  First  of  all  the  war  kettle,  as  they  call  it, 
is  hung  over  the  fire  as  early  as  the  preceding  autumn,  in  order  that  each  of  the 
allies  going  to  the  war  may  have  the  opportunity  to  throw  in  some  precious 
morsel,  to  be  kept  cooking  through  the  winter,  by  which  act  they  are  solemnly 
pledged  to  take  ,  ">rt  in  the  proposed  enterprise.  The  kettle  having  been  kept 
steadily  boiling  up  to  the  month  of  February,  a  large  number  of  warriors,  Sene- 
cas  as  wel!  as  Cayugas,  gathered  to  celebrate  the  war  feast  which  continue  .  for 
several  nights  in  succession.  They  sang  their  war  songs,  danced  and  went 
through  all  possible  contortions  of  body  and  expressions  of  countenance,  protest- 
ing the  while,  that  never  should  they  retire  from  the  combat,  but  fight  to  the 
death,  whatever  tortures  they  might  suffer,  before  they  would  yield  an  inch  of 
ground.  At  the  same  time  that  they  make  this  boast  of  their  courage,  they  hurl 
at  one  another  fire  brands  and  hot  ashes,  strike  each  other  heavy  blows,  and 
burn  one  another  to  show  they  do  not  fear  the  very  worst  the  enemy  can  do. 
Indeed,  one  must  remain  firm  and  suffer  himself  to  be  bruised  or  burned  by  his 
nearest  friends  without  flinching  ;  otherwise  he  is  regarded  as  a  miserable  cow- 
ard. 

This  being  done.  Father  Chaumonot  was  invited  to  put  something  into  the 
war-kettle  as  a  mark  of  favor  toward  the  enterprise.  He  replied  that  this  ac- 
corded with  his  own  desire,  and  accommodating  himself  to  their  customs,  he  as- 
sured them  the  F'rench  would  put  powder  under  the  kettle.  This  pleased  them 
greatly. 

The  next  thing  they  do,  by  way  of  supporting  their  courage,  respects  the  medi- 
cines relied  upon  to  heal  the  wounds  they  may  receive  in  battle  ;  and  to  ensure  iheir 
virtue  for  this  purpose  all  the  sorcerers  ox  jcngleurs  of  the  town  who  are  the  medi- 
cine men  of  the  country,  come  together,  that  by  their  incantations  they  may  impart 
to  these  medicines  an  efticacy  and  healing  power  which  is  not  natural  to  them. 
The  chief  of  these  sorcerers  places  himself  in  the  midst  of  his  fellows  surrounded 
by  a  vast  crowd  of  people  ;  then  elevating  his  voice  he  dec)  ires  that  he  is  alwut  to 
infuse  into  herbs  or  roots,  which  he  i.os  in  k  bag,  the  power  to  heal  wounds  of 
every  description.  Whereupon  he  sings  with  a  full,  clear  voice,  while  the  others 
respond  by  repeating  the  words  of  the  song,  until  the  healing  virtue  has  entered 
into  the  roots ;  and  to  prove  that  this  has   been  really  accomplished,  he  does  two 


106 


things :  First  lie  scarifies  his  own  lips,  from  which  the  blood  is  allowed  to  flow 
until  it  drops  upon  his  chin,  when  he  applies,  in  the  sight  of  all  the  crowd,  the 
remedy  to  the  wound,  at  the  same  time  adroitly  sucking  the  blood  from  his  lips, 
upon  which  the  people  seeing  that  the  blood  has  ceased  to  flow,  raise  a  great 
shout  as  if  the  medicine  had  suddenly  healed  the  wound.  The  second  thing  he 
does  is  to  demonstrate  that  his  roots  have  not  only  the  power  to  heal,  but  also  to 
restore  life.  To  prove  this  he  draws  from  the  bag  a  small  dead  squirrel  that  he 
retains  the  control  of  by  a  secret  attachment  at  the  end  of  the  animal's  tail,  and 
placing  it  upou  his  arm  so  that  every  one  can  see  that  it  is  really  dead,  he  ap- 
plies the  medicinal  root,  and  at  the  same  moment  skillfully  drawing  upon  the 
string  makes  the  animal  re-enter  the  bag,  to  all  appearance  as  if  it  had  been  re- 
stored to  life.  He  produces  the  little  creature  again,  and  cau.ses  him  to  move 
about  at  will,  much  as  the  French  jugglers  manage  their  puppets  There  is 
scarcely  one  of  the  vast  crowd  that  does  not  elevate  his  shoulders  in  admiration 
of  the  wonderful  virtues  of  the  medicines  which  have  wrought  such  miracles 

Immediately  after  this  marvelous  prodigy  the  chief  .sorcerer  goes  through  the 
streets  of  the  village,  followed  by  the  crowd  of  people,  shouting  at  the  top  of  his 
voice  and  parading  his  roots  as  empowered  with  this  strange  efficacy — the  whole 
effect  of  which  is  to  take  from  the  younger  warriors  all  dread  of  being  wounded 
in  battle,  since  they  may  have  at  hand  a  remedy  so  sovereign.  It  is  not  in 
America  alone  but  in  Europe  also,  that  people  seem  to  take  pleasure  in  being 
deceived.  If  these  incantations  make  no  impression  upon  the  spirits,  they  cer- 
tainly have  succeeded  in  inspiring  an  admirable  courage  for  the  war  already  deter- 
mined against  the  nation  of  the  Eries." 


